KPCC president MM Hassan grilled on Mani row

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president M. M. Hassan, who welcomed Kerala Congress (M) to the UDF fold on Tuesday, had to eat his words on Wednesday following stiff opposition to his move by a few Congress leaders. Mr Hassan told reporters here, “I did not invite  K.M. Mani to the UDF on Tuesday. The people in Malappuram  voted for the UDF and Mani's support to the Muslim League was just his claim.”

His volte-face came at  the KPCC executive meeting held at Indira Bhavan  following the scathing attack launched by former Meghalaya Governor M. M. Jacob, P. T. Thomas MLA and former legislator Joseph Vazhakkan on the Congress leadership for ‘chasing’ Mani who had  brought disgrace to the front in the 2016 Assembly elections.  

Mr Jacob hit out at Mr Mani saying  he had  ditched the front and defamed it through the bar scam.   

Mr Thomas and Mr Vazhakkan also  maintained that  the Congress had been giving undue importance to Mr Mani.

The meeting witnessed noisy scenes when Mr Hassan said that the membership campaign has to be completed by May 15. The leaders objected to it raising concern on the sanctity of forming booth committees.  

Though former chief minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala intervened, the leaders did not relent. Former KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran said  the organisational elections should not be held as  in 1991 which only paved the way for  more group fights.  He also lashed out at the Congress leaders who have indulged in corruption in the co-operative banks.   

Mr Jacob, 89, also revealed that BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav   had invited  him last year to join the BJP, which he rejected. He asked the Congress leaders to be wary of the BJP’s  poaching attempts.