THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress is in the throes of a crisis with senior leaders and the youth activists raising the banner of revolt against the party’s decision to gift the Rajya Sabha seat to the Kerala Congress (M). Former KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran walked out of the UDF meeting at Cantonment House on Friday when KC(M) chairman entered the venue. He told reporters that the Congress had been doomed. The leaders had not considered the feelings of the party workers, he said and added that the decision would only strengthen the BJP. Mr K. Muraleedharan MLA also stayed back from the meet.
Mr Sudheeran was invited for the crucial UDF meeting by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennith-ala and UDF convener P. P. Thankachan. He expressed his dissent to Mr Chen-nithala, Muslim League national general secretary P. K. Kunhalikutty, MP, and KPCC president M. M. Hassan. Mr Kunhalikutty, who had pressurised the Congress leadership to give the seat to the KC(M), wanted to end the stalemate created by Mr Sudheeran in the presence of Mr Mani. However, Mr Sudheeran stuck to his stand that the decision was unwise. “Sudheeran said under no circumstances can he support the decision. How can the UDF be strengthened by weakening the Congress? The Congress will be doomed and the BJP will become stronger," said a leader close to Mr Sudheeran.
Mr Sudheeran had sent an e-mail to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday night protesting against the decision. Mr Oommen Chandy, AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh, who masterminded the move to placate Mr K.M. Mani, told reporters after the UDF meeting that only those who had failed to get the RS seat had expressed their dissent. Mr K. Muraleedharan took a dig at the Congress leadership stating that they should try to bring back Mr M. P. Veerendra Kumar who had joined the Left recently. KC (J) chairman Johnny Nellore, who did not attend the UDF meeting, congratulated Mr Kunhalikutty on his role in uniting the UDF allies.
