Support to medical Bill opens a Pandora's box in Congress

Thiruvananthapuram: The support to the controversial Bill regularising illegal admissions to medical colleges has opened a Pandora's box in the Congress camp. The differences came to the fore on Sunday with Political Affairs Committee member Benny Behanan and spokesperson Pandalam Sudhakaran locking horns on Facebook. The party's stand supporting the Bill in the Assembly had not gone down well with many, though Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala ruled out any more talks with the government.

Mr Behanan said crores of rupees had changed hands and demanded a probe. He also wanted the PAC to sit and discuss it, setting panic in the party as his leader Oommen Chandy had also favoured the Bill to save “students in distress.” “There should be an independent probe on the financial dealings. It is clear that the deal was struck with the connivance of top officials in the (chief minister) Pinarayi (Vijayan's) government,” he said.

Mr Sudhakaran took to the Facebook to retaliate without naming any leader. He said attempts of certain leaders to find fault with the party’s decision were nothing but ridiculous. “The decision to support the bill was taken after holding talks with UDF leaders and senior Congress leaders,” he said. While Mr Behanan belongs to the ‘A’ camp, Mr Sudhakaran owes his allegiance to Chennithala’s ‘I’ group.  The war of words between the two is happening at a time when KPCC president M. M. Hassan is leading his Janamochana Yatra which has reached Kannur.