Youth Congress State President and UDF candidate in Palakkad bypolls Rahul Mamkootathil toned down the tension surrounding his candidature, saying that KPCC Digital Media Cell Convener P Sarin would always remain his good friend.
After Rahul Mamkootathil's candidature was declared, P Sarin openly expressed his displeasure over the choice and said that if the Congress continued at this pace, Haryana would repeat in Kerala.
"I am not the one to respond to Sarin. My candidature was the party's decision. We will win in Palakkad with a huge majority and reduce the BJP's presence in the constituency. Sarin is my friend and will continue to be my friend tomorrow as well. He holds good ideals and principles. This difference of opinion is temporary. Our priority should be victory,” he said while speaking to the media after meeting senior Congress leader A K Antony.
Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, widely believed to have pushed for Rahul Mamkootathil's candidature, dismissed Sarin's claims and insisted that bypoll candidates were chosen by the party leadership after due discussion. "Rahul Mamkootathil is not anyone's personal candidate; he is the party’s candidate. He will be successful. He is well-accepted by both the public and party members, and he is capable of becoming a strong voice in the Kerala Assembly," Parambil said.
Palakkad MP V K Sreekandan stated that Sarin is a dedicated Congress worker, and he doesn’t believe Sarin will leave the party. "Anyone can desire candidacy, but priority is given to winnability," he added.
"When the party makes a decision, workers must be ready to accept it. Naturally, many may aspire for candidacy before elections, but once the party decides, that decision applies to everyone equally. Every party has criteria for elections. This is a contest for the state assembly, not the Palakkad municipality. Winnability is the priority. Both Congress and CPM have a history of fielding candidates from other districts and winning in Palakkad. The party makes all the decisions. There may be several candidates with equal chances of winning, but once the high command decides, the Congress way is to follow it," Sreekandan explained.
P Sarin slammed the KPCC on Wednesday for not engaging in consultations before making a decision.
