Kozhikode: Minister P A Muhammad Riyas has taunted the Congress party over the denial of seat for its sitting MP T N Prathapan in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress has chosen Vadakara MP K Muraleedharan to run from the Thrissur constituency, where Prathapan won in the 2019 General Elections. Prathapan is the only sitting MP in Kerala who will not be in the fray this time.

Even as Prathapan has not shown the slightest dissent, CPM leader Riyas seems to know the answer to the snub. “Congress denied a seat for Thrissur MP Prathapan for speaking in favour of Kerala in the Parliament," said Riyas during the LDF election convention for Elamaram Kareem in Kozhikode on Tuesday.

Prathapan reportedly gave an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, giving impetus to the LDF government's claim that the Centre was neglecting Kerala's financial interests. Prathapan's party, Congress, refrained from the Pinarayi Vijayan-led protest in Jantar Mantar in January against the Centre. But his motion was a boost to the LDF which has only one representative in the lower house, in Alappuzha MP A M Ariff, having been drubbed 19 to one in the 2019 polls.

“Did the Kozhikode MP (M K Raghavan) cooperate with the protest? Did any Congress MP speak in the Parliament on the matter of Kerala's rightful share being withheld by the Centre? Yes, one Congress MP spoke, that was Thrissur MP, Prathapan... was he denied a seat for speaking for the people of Kerala?” Riyas asked.

The CPM and Congress are part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) which is the major opposition to the BJP-led NDA.