KOZHIKODE: Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, who was the hero of the UDF during the election campaign, has become the ‘villain’ for a section of the Congress and IUML workers after it was known that his support is for K C Venugopal in the race for the post of chief minister.
The cadre who once hailed ‘the Shafi magic’ are now busy branding him as ‘betrayer of people’s mandate.’
The Facebook posts of V D Satheesan supporters allege that Shafi was instrumental in turning the newly elected MLAs against Satheesan. Quoting the experiences of Congress MLAs who faced public protest for supporting Venugopal, one post warns that Shafi also will face the same fate.
“The mass leader who is organising secret meetings in Kozhikode to sabotage the people’s mandate will also have to face similar questioning,” the post said. It is not the number in the legislature party that matters always, the public sentiment is also important, the post reminded.
Another person, who identified him as an IUML supporter, cautioned the party workers that Shafi will again come to wedding functions with a smiling face and try to befriend with people with humble behaviour.
“There are areas where his party has no organisational strength. He is trying to capture the party using our hardwork and commitment in those places,” the post said.
Another post alleged that Shafi is supporting Venugopal with an eye on the post of the KPCC president. Terming Shafi as the real villain, the post said the Congress leaders arrogate that it was his popularity that was the reason behind the UDF’s stunning performance in the North Kerala district.
Some even went to the extent of saying that Shafi’s popularity has no ideological strength.
“The inflated balloon will be punctured with single prick of the needle,” the post said. The same people who waited for Shafi till midnight during his election campaigns are waiting to see Satheesan as chief minister. “It was the IUML workers and UDF sympathisers who threw a protective ring around him when he faced threat from enemies,” the post said.
It may be recalled that Shafi’s popularity peaked during the election campaign and candidates waited for his time to fix the dates for the election conventions.
He was the most wanted campaigner for the UDF not just in Malabar but throughout the state. The irony is that Shafi is getting brickbats from the same fan groups which held him on a high pedestal a week ago.
