Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Congress leadership is peeved at certain party Lok Sabha members openly expressing their desire to be MLAs rather than MPs.

Following the development, AICC General Secretary Tariq Anwar, who is in charge of Kerala affairs, stated that such a tendency won’t do any good for the party. Sources said he made the statement after considering the displeasure among the state leadership circles against the open remarks.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor had earlier given hints about his becoming active in state politics. Tharoor openly declaring his willingness to become a chief minister candidate by contesting in the assembly polls has evoked mixed responses.

T N Prathapan, Congress Lok Sabha member from Thrissur, also expressed his keenness to contest the assembly polls. Though K Muraleedharan said he would contest the Lok Sabha elections again from Vadakara, some of the statements he recently made have ignited debates.

Other MPs from the state too harbour desires for MLA posts. Attingal MP Adoor Prakash has the Konni constituency in mind. Certain quarters have likened the hunger strike resorted to by Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden in Vypeen the other day to his desire to become active in state politics.

Another section believes that though Benny Behanan MP is active in Chalakudy, the Congress leader is very much in search of a suitable assembly constituency in Ernakulam or Thrissur.

The leaders openly expressing their desires have invited the wrath of the state leadership, which believes such decisions are the prerogative of the party. The open remarks by the Lok Sabha members, expressing their willingness to change the seats, would adversely affect the party’s prospects in the Lok Sabha polls, they pointed out.

Hibi Eden, though, cleared the air over his ambition, saying it’s the party that should decide on his candidateship. Muraleedharan responded that though he would like to contest assembly elections, all the leaders vying for MLA posts would give a wrong message to people that the party leaders are apprehensive of poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

Rajmohan Unnithan too cautioned that if the current crop of MPs is not interested in contesting again, then they should inform the High Command instead of openly airing their views.

Leaders should express their desires to party: Tariq Anwar
AICC General Secretary Tariq Anwar pointed out that the MPs from the state making public statements about their wishes instead of conveying the same to the party's high command is a wrong tendency. Till now, no one from the state had approached him with such a desire, he said.

Will wait for the right time: Shashi Tharoor
“There is no need to discuss the chief minister candidateship now. Let the right time come. It’s the people who should decide. I’m speaking on the matter for the last several years at all places. If someone is rattled by it, the question of ‘why’ should be raised before them. I don’t know why I’m being viewed with another eye,” Shashi Tharoor in Perinthalmanna.