Congress in Kerala bans Tharoor and Thomas from attending CPI(M) seminars

By PTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Acceptance of the CPI(M)’s invitation to attend a seminar being organised as a part of its Party Congress has put senior Congress leaders, Shashi Tharoor and Okay V Thomas, in a dilemma with KPCC chief Okay Sudhakaran barring them from attending the ruling get together’s programme.

The Left get together has invited Thiruvananthapuram MP, Tharoor and former Union Minister Thomas to attend numerous seminars forward of its twenty third Party Congress scheduled to be held at Kannur within the state from April 6-10.

Congress’ Kerala unit President Okay Sudhakaran has mentioned the get together had barred its leaders from attending the programme because it was strongly preventing the CPI(M)-led authorities over the proposed Okay-Rail venture.

However, Tharoor instructed the media that the subject of the seminar, to which he was invited was not associated to any points pertaining to Kerala or Okay-Rail.

“The people do not like Congress leaders participating in the programme organised by the CPI(M). The Congress party members despise, loathe such leaders who associate with (Chief Minister) Pinarayi Vijayan, who is moving forward with the K-Rail project. If he (Tharoor) wants to participate, he can. It’s his wish. He can take the permission of Sonia Gandhi and do accordingly,” Sudhakaran mentioned.

Keen to attend the CPI(M) occasion, each Tharoor and Thomas are reportedly planning to strategy the Congress excessive command looking for permission of get together supremo Sonia Gandhi to attend the programme.

“They had invited me and I accepted. This time they have invited me to take part in a seminar as part of its Party Congress. There is nothing wrong in engaging with political dialogues. And the topic of the seminar is not K-Rail or anything related to Kerala,” Tharoor mentioned.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has mentioned the Left get together had invited Congress leaders for numerous seminars however they had been barred by that get together’s management.

“But they don’t have any issues in joining hands with the BJP to protest against the state government,” Balakrishnan has instructed the media, referring to the opposition events opposing the SilverLine venture.

He mentioned the Congress was taking stands favouring the BJP. “It is the BJP’s direction not to participate in the CPI(M) programmes. If they (Congress leaders) are ready to participate, we will welcome them. If they are not, then the political pauperism of the Congress party will be evident to the people of the state,” Balakrishnan mentioned.

The KPCC was already irked with the stands taken by Tharoor over numerous issues as lately, he refused to affix a signature protest towards Okay-Rail however later modified his thoughts after going through backlash from the get together.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has been staging widespread protests over the proposed formidable semi-highspeed SilverLine rail venture, also called Okay-Rail, of the Left authorities.

The authorities had on January 15 revealed the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the venture with an estimated value of the venture as Rs 63,941 crores.

The DPR says the venture is anticipated to finish by 2025 and can scale back journey time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod from 12 hours to only 4 hours.

The 529.45 km lengthy venture is executed by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (Okay-Rail), a three way partnership of Government of Kerala and Ministry of Railways, for implementing the railway infrastructure within the state. The Centre is but to approve the venture.

Congress is against the venture over its viability, claiming it should overshoot its estimated value whereas the primary opposition get together in addition to the BJP additionally insist it’s unscientific and impractical.