KC Joseph criticises public tussle over Kerala CM post

According to him, such public disagreements would ultimately harm the party itself

Senior Congress leader KC Joseph on Saturday criticised the public tussle by party supporters over the Kerala chief minister post, warning that taking internal matters to the streets could have dangerous consequences.

He was referring to protests, flex boards and posters put up by supporters of Congress leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala, who are being considered for the chief minister’s post.

Joseph was a Congress MLA for 39 years, representing the Irikkur constituency in Kannur and had served as a minister in the Oommen Chandy-led UDF Government.

In a Facebook post, Joseph said he was remaining silent because “silence is preferable”. He said everyone should realise that taking the internal affairs of the Congress onto the streets would create dangerous consequences.

Joseph also remarked that “if one spits while lying down, it will fall on one’s own face”.

According to him, such public disagreements would ultimately harm the party itself. He further criticised the protest demonstrations held in Thiruvananthapuram, saying that they had hurt many party supporters, as the image of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was allegedly torn, knowingly or unknowingly.

“This is not good for anyone. Trying to scratch one’s head with a burning stick will be disastrous,” he said in the post. The Congress won 63 seats of its own in the 140-member Assembly, while the United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance has won 102 seats, staging a comeback in the southern State.

Freedom of expression is Congress’ beauty, says Abin Varkey

Pathanamthitta: Congress MLA-elect Abin Varkey on Saturday said that the party has always upheld freedom of expression, and he is not against workers installing flex boards in support of leaders being considered for the post of Kerala chief minister.

He was referring to protests and flex boards installed across Kerala in support of Congress leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala, who are being considered for the CM post. Speaking to reporters, Varkey said it was natural for Congress party workers to support leaders they admire by raising slogans and putting up flex boards. “In the Congress party, there is freedom to take the names of leaders in support, raise slogans for them and install flex boards. It was the same in the past, it is the same in the present, and it will remain so in the future. That is the beauty of the Congress,” he said.

He said such freedom attracted people like him to the party despite the criticism. “I am not against installing flex boards of leaders, but against tearing them down. There is no need to destroy the flex boards of leaders. Similarly, attacks against each other on social media are unnecessary,” he said. The Congress leader, who is also the state vice-president of the Youth Congress, said the party had never contested elections by projecting a chief ministerial face. “The chief minister is selected based on the situation. AICC observers arrive in the state and hold meetings with MLAs and leaders before submitting their report to the party high command,” he said.

He said the regular procedure was followed in Kerala after the Assembly elections, with observers meeting MLAs and leaders to gather opinions before filing their report.

As senior party leaders from the State have now been invited to New Delhi for further discussions, the chief minister will be decided within two days, and the swearing-in ceremony will be held soon, he added.

“Such celebrations are regular while selecting the chief minister. We are not over-conscious about it as it is part of a democratic process,” he said.

When asked about his preference for the chief minister’s post, Varkey said the person chosen by Rahul Gandhi would be acceptable to him.

Varkey defeated former Health Minister Veena George of the LDF and senior BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan in his maiden electoral contest in Aranmula Assembly constituency.

The Congress won 63 seats of its own in the 140-member Assembly, while the United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance has won 102 seats, staging a comeback in the southern State.