Ex-loyalists embarrass Congress

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress has been embarrassed by former diplomat T. P. Sreenivasan attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign programme here the other day. A number of former Congress loyalists like K. S. Radhakrishnan, J. Prameela Devi, T. P. Senkumar and K. Raman Nair have also shown allegiance to the BJP.

Mr Sreenivasan headed the Council for Higher Education during the previous UDF rule due to his proximity to its leaders. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, there were rumours that he would contest from Thiruvananthapuram. A top Congress leader told DC that he was deeply disappointed with Mr Sreenivasan’s move.

“I had held Sreenivasan in high esteem. Seeing his performance in the higher education sector, I invited him to my Lok Sabha constituency where he convened a seminar on the challenges being faced in the sector,” he said.

Mr Radhakrishnan, NDA candidate in Alappuzha, was earlier rewarded with the post of PSC chairman. Ms Prameela Devi, a former professor in English, had served as a member of the Kerala Women’s Commission. When Mr Senkumar was targeted by the LDF Government, Congress leaders rallied behind him. Mr Raman Nair, who had not been active in the Congress party for long, was rewarded with the post of president of Travancore Devaswom Board. The Congress leader alleged that Mr Raman Nair would not have become TDB president but for the support of the NSS leadership.

“These former Congress loyalists rubbed shoulders only with the top brass of the KPCC. They never had any connection with the workers. During former Chief Minister A. K. Antony’s tenure, he made mostly political appointments avoiding loyalists. The loyalists play opportunistic politics,” said another Congress leader.