V.M. Sudheeran stealing limelight irks leaders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is resentment among a section of Congress leaders over KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran trying to take credit for the latest government decision to make changes in the water tariff.  While it is reported that some leaders told the  high command about Mr Sudheeran’s action, a Congress source denied it and said they had only expressed their  displeasure to Mr Sudheeran.

On Monday, Mr Sudheeran had requested Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who came to the PCC office to discuss the withdrawal of Mr T. H. Mustafa’s suspension,  not to burden the people with the water tariff hike. After they left,  Mr Sudheeran’s staff  issued  a press release saying that he had asked  the CM not to increase the water tariff. “This was unwarranted and the next day itself the leaders expressed their displeasure to Sudheeran,”  a Congress MLA told DC.

Congress leaders are critical of the fact that  when the UDF government decided to enforce total  prohibition in a phased manner, Mr Sudheeran tried to steal the show. They alleged that in the case of water tariff issue too, Mr Sudheeran acted smart knowing that the government would roll out a concession worth  Rs 32 crore to the BPL category and those who use 15,000 litres of water per month. Congress MLA K. Muraleedharan  had said the other day that the equation between the party and the government were at its lowest ebb.