Congress leaders react sharply to KC (M) decision

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leaders, except Oommen Chandy, reacted sharply to Kerala Congress (M) leaving the UDF.

UDF convenor P. P. Thankachan said that there was dichotomy in the stand of Kerala Congress (M).  It was leaving the UDF and yet keeping power sharing in the local bodies. This was not practical.

He noted that the Kerala Congress (M) had not raised any complaints in the UDF. Even now, it was not being specific with its criticisms.

KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran said that said that the reasons being cited by Kerala Congress (M) now were not good enough for leaving the party.  The party invented the reasons after deciding to quit. None in the Congress had worked against Kerala Congress (M) in the elections.

 If UDF had been returned to power, the party would not have left the UDF. The present move was an opportunistic one in search of better pastures, Mr. Sudheeran said.

Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the Kerala Congress (M) decision was ridiculous one. If it had any differences with the UDF, it should have raised them at liaison committee meetings or with the leaders.

Oommen Chandy said that the vigilance investigation into corruption case over sanctioning of bar licences caused some confusion. However, Mr. Mani had been exonerated in both the reports.

He added that efforts to create division in Congress would not be successful. None in Congress would isolate Mr. Chennithala or others over the development.

Congress leader V. D. Satheesan said that Mani had quit hoping that he would get the LDF government’s help to escape from the bar bribery case.  The LDF had been threatening Mr. Mani over the case.

BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan said that NDA was not approaching Kerala Congress (M) for alliance. Mr. Mani had not said that he was interested in such an alliance.