Kerala Congress (M) blames P J Kurian for Tiruvalla rout

KOTTAYAM: The Kerala Congress (M) has  decided to inquire into the electoral rout suffered by the party  in Tiruvalla constituency.  The probe, to be conducted by  senior KC (M) leader and Changanassery MLA C.F. Thomas,  is thought to be a move by the party to corner the Congress.

Though the KC(M)  considered its defeat in Poonjar and Ettumanur   and the erosion of votes in  Pala  as equally embarrassing,  it zeroed in on  Tiruvalla due to the role played by Congress leader  P.J. Kurian  in spoiling the victory chances of  Mr  Joseph M. Puthussery.

The KC (M) leadership thinks that  Mr  Kurian’s attack on the candidature of Mr Puthussery had contributed to his defeat. According to the KC (M) sources, on the basis of the report from Mr C.F. Thomas,  the party will raise the issue with the  UDF.  “Further discussions will be carried out in the  UDF  on the basis of the  report,”  said sources.

Mr Thomas told DC, “we have decided to conduct an  inquiry into the factors that led to the defeat of the party candidate in Tiruvalla. There will be no probe into the defeats in other constituencies,” he said.  The steering committee had criticised Mr  Kurian for creating controversies on the eve of the elections.  The  committee alleged that the Congress leaders did nothing to control Mr Kurian.