THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mr Rajmohan Unnithan has bowed out as KPCC spokesperson in the wake of the slanging match between him and Mr K. Muraleedharan MLA over the party affairs. Both had stooped low to disparage each other with Mr Unnithan saying that the ‘prodigal son’ had never respected his father and the latter snubbing him by commenting that a cook need not interfere in the board matters. Mr Unnithan handed over his resignation to KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran after addressing a press conference at his home. There was no love lost between Mr Unnithan and Mr Muraleedharan for a long time.
The problems started when Mr Unnithan was denied the Kollam Lok Sabha seat during the 2004 Parliament elections. It was alleged that Mr Sooranad Rajasekharan had given a hefty bribe to Mr Muraleedharan, the former KPCC president, who had joined the A. K. Antony ministry. Mr Muraleedharan during his speech in Kozhikode on Friday had said that there was no Opposition in Kerala and that Congress leaders were vying with one another to show their face on channels. Mr Unnithan told reporters in Kollam later that Mr Muraleedharan was a constant trouble-maker and that he was playing into the hands of opponents.
On Tuesday, Mr Muraleedharan said that cooks need not speak when family members talk. “The KPCC president will speak about party matters. I have not brought disrepute to the party through immoral activities. If anyone barks, it will be treated with utter contempt. I am sticking to what I had said about the Opposition on Friday. What I expressed were the party workers’ sentiments,” he said. Mr Unnithan told reporters at his house at Poojappura that he had not used derogatory words against Mr Muraleedharan.
“I had supported the Congress leaders who had come under a cloud in the solar case. While the K. Karunakaran memorial programme was being held across the state, his son Muraleedharan was conspicuous by his absence,” said Mr Unnithan. He alleged that Mr Muraleedharan was in Sharjah sharing the dais with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a programme held by former Congress members belonging to the Overseas Indian Cultural Congress.
