All's Not Well between K.Muraleedharan and Congress Leadership in Kerala

Kochi, March 31 (IANS) K. Muraleedharan, son of legendary Congress leader K.Karunakaran, on Friday expressed his disappointment over being "meted out a raw deal" at the Centenary Celebration of Vaikom Satyagraha, held near here.

AICC president Malikarjuna Kharge was the chief guest at the function organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Thursday.

Muraleedharan, a Lok Sabha member from Badagara in Kozhikode district and a former KPCC president, on Friday stated that he was sidelined at the function.

"There were three former KPCC presidents present and except me the other two- M.M.Hassan and Ramesh Chennithala spoke, while I was not given time to speak. My name was also missing from the party newspaper's supplement which made me realise where things are heading," he told media persons.

"Karunakaran also suffered a lot in the party. If the party does not require me, that's fine. I have informed KPCC president K.Sudhakaran and also to AICC general secretary K.C.Venugopal," said a peeved Muraleedharan.

Incidentally, as per sources, his present innings in the party is a second chance provided by the party.

In 2001, Muraleedharan was made the KPCC president when A.K.Antony became the Chief Minister.

Later, differences cropped up and the father and son duo floated a new party - Democratic Indira Congress (DIC) and was an ally of the Congress-led UDF in the 2006 Assembly polls and Muraleedharan was the state party president.

After suffering a poll debacle, DIC merged with left ally Nationalist Congress Party and here again Muraleedharan was made the state party president.

Muraleedharan and the erstwhile DIC members then returned to the Congress and he won on a Congress ticket to the Kerala Assembly at the 2011 and 2016 polls.

At the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Muraleedharan was fielded from Badagara Lok Sabha seat and he emerged victorious.

Time and again after K.Sudhakaran took over as the new KPCC president, Muraleedharan has been blowing hot and cold. After Thursday's incident, he has openly expressed his displeasure and now all eyes are on the national unit of the party on how they tackle him.