Scaria Thomas, V Surendran Pillai spar over seat allocation
Pillai's statement that Kaduthuruthy was not a safe seat has come in for sharp criticism from chairman Scaria Thomas.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The denial of Thiruvananthapuram seat to V Surendran Pillai has triggered a war of words between him and party president Scaria Thomas with the former complaining that the LDF leadership had failed to give any logic for overlooking him.
Pillai said he had worked closely as part of the LDF as an MLA, minister and otherwise over the past many years: “I lost the seat by a slender margin in 2011. I have been active in the constituency, interacting with people, being with them in thier good and bad times. But all this was not taken into consideration while deciding the seat.”
On the decision to allot Kaduthruthy to party chairman Scaria Thomas, he said, “Our party had given up two seats. At least we could have been offered a safe seat to ensure victory.”
Pillai, however, refuted the reports that he would contest against LDF. “I will work for the victory of LDF. We want a Left led government in the state,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pillai’s statement that Kaduthuruthy was not a safe seat has come in for sharp criticism from chairman Scaria Thomas. “He has backstabbed us. Pillai is not a prophet to predict the outcome of Kaduthuruthy result. LDF has not given us a rough deal. Under the present circumstances they have accommodated us,” he added.
Later, Pillai retracted from his previous statement. “I never said that there is no chance of winning in Kaduturuthy. What I meant was that LDF could have given a more safer seat to us,” he said.