The Hindu : RSP(B) firm on Kollam seat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 23, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

RSP(B) firm on Kollam seat

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, FEB. 22 . The Congress would have to pay a heavy price if the Kollam Lok Sabha seat is not given to the RSP(B) in the coming polls, A.V. Thamarakshan, general secretary of the RSP(B), has said.

Talking to mediapersons after inaugurating the district convention of the RSP(B) here on Sunday, Prof. Thamarakshan said the Kollam seat rightfully belonged to the RSP(B). The party had every right to claim the seat and would make further demands in the UDF meeting to be held on Tuesday.

Prof. Thamarakshan said that even if the party was not given the Kollam seat, it would not stay away from the election campaign. The party had considerable sway in all the Assembly constituencies that were part of the Kollam Lok Sabha seat.

At least 16 seats of the UDF were won due to the influence wielded by the party, he said. The RSP(B) had considerable hold in the constituencies of Kollam, Kottayam, Idukki and Chirayinkeezhu, Prof. Thamarakshan said. He said the party had not been weakened by the recent split.

Earlier, inaugurating the convention, Prof. Thamarakshan said that both the Congress and the Left parties had failed to take to the people the reality behind the BJP's claims on `India Shining.'

He said the Left parties were adopting the same attitude towards both the Congress, which had the background of the Independence struggle, and the BJP, which had fascist tendencies.

This was causing the downfall of the Left parties and would only help the BJP in the long run, he said. Prof. Thamarakshan pointed out that the RSP's earlier stand that a secular front keeping the Congress away was impractical was proving to be correct.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala