Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has quickly moved in to prevent the new office-bearers' list from stoking yet another round of chaotic war of words among Congress leaders in Kerala.
KPCC president, Mullappally Ramachandran, said on Monday the party would soon put in place a disciplinary committee to ensure "absolute discipline" within the party.
Mullappally's announcement came after he had a public spat with K Muraleedharan.
The Congress MP had made some derisive comments on the choice of Mohan Shankar as one of the party's new vice presidents. "Congress can continue in the opposition for another five years, if BJP men found a place in the Assembly candidate list like they had found a place in the KPCC list," he said, clearly referring to Mohan Shankar, who had once been in the BJP.
The KPCC president shot back saying indiscipline would not be tolerated at any level in the party.
He said that those criticising should bother to look back, a clear reference to Muraleedharan's dissident and breakaway past.
Soon after, an unapologetic Muraleedharan took a dig at the KPCC president. "I looked back and did not find anything," he said and added sarcastically: "Such fire should ideally be reserved for Pinarayi Vijayan and Narendra Modi."
Congress sources said Mullappally had read this as a suggestion that he was too soft on the BJP and the CPM.
Early in the day, Murali had also said that the party should work to bring back UDF leaders who had participated in the 'human chain' organized by the CPM on January 26. Sources said Mulappally took this comment, too, as an indirect assault on his leadership.
Later, Mullappally said no self-respecting Congressman had taken part in the 'human chain'.
After Murali's jibe, the KPCC president called a press conference and warned that indiscipline would be dealt with an iron fist.
"The party will not tolerate indiscipline of any kind," he said. "It is not at street-side meetings and before the media that differences should be aired," he said.
For this, Mullappally said there was the Political Affairs Committee.
"The PAC had met 12 times after I took over as the KPCC president. We have long deliberations at the PAC, and the PAC meet on Sabarimala went deep into midnight," the KPCC chief said.
He also took full responsibility for the choice of Mohan Shankar.
"It was me who made the recommendation and opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, former chief minister Oommen Chandy and the highly revered A K Antony told me it was the right decision," Mullappally said.
He said Mohan Shankar was R Shankar's son. "R Shankar was the first Congress chief minister," Mullappally said.
Then, in a tone that hinted he wanted to hit Murali where it hurt the most, he said: "R Shankar was Congress's best chief minister, a revolutionary education minister and the smartest home minister. No one can ever question his impeccable and clean political record."
Further, to emphasise Mohan Shankar's anti-BJP credentials, Mullappally said he and his sister had refused to attend a meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to unveil the larger-than-life statue of his father, R Shankar, in 2015.
R Shankar's family had then kept away from the unveiling ceremony because the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was not invited to the function.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also said personal attacks were wrong. "I would advice all party leaders to express their opinion in party forums," he said.
Mohan Shankar, on his part, said it had been 12 years since he had returned to the Congress. "I have nothing against Murali, only love" he said.
The KPCC chief also expressed shock that Mahila Congress leader Lathika Subhash had publicly criticised the new KPCC list for not having enough female representation. "I cannot believe that she said that because I personally had told her that I was not satisfied with the list and that we needed more women," he said.
"We will have to ask her for an explanation," he added.
