THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress leadership in Kerala has found itself in a tight spot after a phone conversation allegedly involving Thiruvananthapuram District Congress president Palode Ravi was leaked, in which the senior leader stated that the party would come third in the upcoming local body polls.
In the conversation with a local leader, Ravi is heard saying that the CPM will continue in power in the state and that the Congress will become a persona non grata after the Assembly elections.
In his eight-minute-long conversation with local leader Jaleel of Pullampara, the former Deputy Speaker came down heavily on the lack of mutual cooperation within the party.
At a time when the Congress has made elaborate preparations and taken comprehensive measures for the local body polls, the remarks by the senior leader have put the party on the defensive.
In a detailed analysis with the local leader, the former Deputy Speaker allegedly observed that the Congress will cease to exist after the panchayat elections. People from the Muslim community will shift their support to the CPM and other parties, warned Ravi.
"In the panchayat election, the party will be pushed to third spot. Similarly, in the Assembly election, it won't succeed. You just wait and see what the BJP is going to do in 60 Assembly constituencies. Like in the Parliament election, they will buy votes with money.
Congress will come third and the Marxist party will continue in power. This is what's going to happen in Kerala. By then, it will be the downfall of this party," Ravi is heard saying.
He also warned that members of the Congress party will defect to the BJP and other parties. "We have people with local contacts only in around 10% of places. No one has any sincere mutual respect or relations. All are trying to backstab each other," adds Ravi.
Following the leak, Ravi has issued a clarification. The senior leader said that the party will stand united in facing the election. In the conversation, he was only warning about what could happen if there are no proper preparations, said Palode Ravi.
Senior Congress leaders are yet to respond to the matter. The party is also expected to probe how the conversation was leaked.