Thiruvananthapuram: Though Congress president Rahul Gandhi proposes, it is the KPCC that disposes. Mr Rahul Gandhi personally supports the entry of young women in the Sabarimala temple, but the KPCC has decided to oppose it for local reasons. And the KPCC has asserted that there is no confusion on the issue.
AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy also has rallied behind the KPCC in its decision to hold protests against the LDF government’s stand. However, Congress MLA K. Muraleedharan is reluctant to join the protests, but Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran have asked him to reconsider his decision.
Mr Chennithala said that Mr Rahul Gandhi had only expressed his personal opinion on Sabarimala which he did not want to impose on the party.
He maintained that there was no confusion among the party cadres. He along with Mr Mullapally had apprised the AICC leadership of their stand on the court verdict and they had allowed them to go ahead with the protests.
"Rahul Gandhi has maintained democratic values which the CPM or the BJP does not do," he said.
The AICC wanted the KPCC to decide respecting the sentiments of the Ayyappa devotees. Congressmen have different opinions on the matter as it is a democratic party, he said. The previous UDF government had filed an affidavit in 2016 against young women’s entry in Sabarimala, he said.
Mr Muraleedharan told DC that he wanted to keep off the protests and that he had told the KPCC leadership about it. He has urged the leadership to convene a meeting of the political affairs committee to discuss the Sabarimala issue.
“The leadership requested me to change my stand to save the face of the party. Chennithala told me that Rahul Gandhi had given his nod to hold the protests,” said Mr Muraleedharan.
