Sadas welcome address puts Chazhikadan at the receiving end of CM's ire

Pala: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan openly criticised Thomas Chazhikadan MP for his inaugural address at the Nava Kerala Sadas meeting held in Pala recently.

Chazhikadan began his welcome speech with the introduction that Pala needed the government's attention on three things. The MP raised demands of increasing the support price of rubber, renovation of Pala municipal stadium and completion of Cherpunkal bridge.

Expressing displeasure over this, Pinarayi admonished Chazhikadan during his address. "The entire state has come to understand why we organise this programme. But the person who spoke about the constituency's issues seems to have no idea. What we saw was that ignorance. He was heard saying as if we were out to receive complaints.

"Complaints are only an incidental part of the programme. It's not only about receiving complaints. ministers always receive plaints whenever they visit a place. This (Nava Kerala Sadas) is to present to the people the problems our state faces. The discrimination shown by the Centre against Kerala needs to be brought before the people. At the same time, where we have reached and what has to be done in the future should also be presented," Pinarayi said.

"It (the welcome speech) was made without understanding this adequately. It was unfortunate that honourable Chazhikadan did not understand this," the CM said.

The chief minister ended his speech by saying that what Chazhikadan and others said would be considered later.

As soon as he started his welcome speech, Minister Roshi Augustine came to Chazhikadan and told him to shorten the speech. After receiving the cue, Chazhikadan ended his speech by welcoming everyone. The Chief Minister's response was made while ministers and MP Jose K Mani were present on the stage. Jose K Mani, in his presidential speech, demanded that the support price for rubber should be raised to Rs 200.