‘A’ group leaders slam V. D. Satheeshan for saying govt is under cloud of corruption
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CWC member A.K. Antony’s plainspeak on corruption on Friday has triggered a ferocious group war in the state Congress with leaders of both factions indulging in a slanging match. ‘I’ group leader and PCC vice-president V.D. Satheeshan’s statement to a TV channel that corruption had cast a shadow on the government elicited sharp reactions from the ‘A’ group saying he was power-hungry and disappointed over not getting a cabinet berth.
Mr Satheeshan reiterated that the UDF government was under a cloud and said the party leadership as well as the UDF government should not compel him to say that the government was not neck-deep in trouble. He told reporters in Kozhikode that if the government did not change its style of functioning, it would meet the same fate of the UPA government at the centre.
“It is A. K. Antony who first said that corruption is rampant. Those who don’t have the guts to speak against him have turned against me. The leaders who had staged a conspiracy to oust Antony and K. Karunakaran have now triggered the latest controversy,” said Mr Satheeshan. His comments angered the ‘A’ faction and Culture Minister K. C. Joseph, close aide of the chief minister, slammed him saying that Mr Satheeshan was speaking like an Opposition party member. Mr Kodikunnil Suresh MP of the ‘A’ group told reporters in New Delhi that Mr Satheeshan was power-hungry and aiming at a cabinet berth. But Congress spokesperson Ajay Tharayil rallied behind Mr Satheeshan saying Mr Joseph was not the high command to speak against the PCC vice-president.
However, KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran, who is also in Delhi, urged the party leaders to exercise restraint. “Congress leaders should abstain from making public statements. So far, there have been no discussions on a change of guard in the government,” he said.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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