The Hindu : High command's decision is final: Chandy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

High command's decision is final: Chandy

By Our Staff Reporter

THRISSUR, MARCH 20 . The UDF convener, Oommen Chandy, today said that the decision taken by the Congress high command on the selection of party candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha election would be final and all the Congress workers should strive for their victory.

Talking to reporters here, Mr. Chandy said the Congress leaders should not create further controversies as the party high command had almost come to a final decision on the selection of candidates.

Asked whether it would be good for the party to have three candidates from a particular family contesting the elections, Mr. Chandy said: "As a Congressman, I have expressed my opinion about such moves in the appropriate party fora. In future also, I would express my views at such fora on the issue. But, now that the party high command has taken a decision, this is not the time to go into the merit of it."

On the financial allegations made by the two KPCC general secretaries, Sharatchandra Prasad and Rajmohan Unnithan, against the Power Minister, K. Muraleedharan, and Padmaja Venugopal, the UDF convener said: "Mr. Muraleedharan has already denied the allegations, and now it is for the KPCC president to take follow-up action".

Asked whether he thought that the breach of party discipline by the Congress groups in the past had emboldened the two dissident KPCC secretaries to make such allegations, Mr. Chandy said: "As far as we are concerned, we have decided to consider the past group rivalries as a closed chapter. What we witness now is the emotional expression of some people."

He said the Congress group dispute over the post of Thrissur Mayor would be sorted out on Monday when the KPCC acting president is scheduled to visit the city and would hold discussions with the different sections.

According to him, some of the Congress leaders had started their campaign for elections with the permission of the party leadership even though the final party candidate list was not yet out.

`Congress will fight

polls united'

Our Staff Reporter adds from Kochi: The KPCC general Secretary, N. Venugopal, today said that an important factor that weighed in favour of considering Edward Edayedath as the UDF candidate for the Ernakulam parliamentary constituency was that he was non-political and did not belong to any group in the Congress party.

Mr. Venugopal was addressing mediapersons at the Ernakulam Press Club. "The Congress workers will work in unison for the UDF candidate. The situation was different a few months back when a section in the party worked against M.O. John, the UDF's official candidate for the legislative bypoll," he said.

The allegations that the former KPCC president and Minister for Electricity, K. Muraleedharan, had misappropriated party funds, were baseless, he said. The amount that had been spent on organising the `I' group rally in Ernakulam was collected by the group leadership.

Candidates were selected after consultations with all group leaders. There is no question of Mr. Muraleedharan accepting cash for ensuring the candidature of some people, he said.

"People like Rajmohan Unnithan and Saratchandra Prasad are coming up with these allegations as they have been denied seats by the party. Let them send a complaint to the KPCC's acting president, P.P. Thankachan, in writing," he said.

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