Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 26 (BPNS)
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Chief and Member of Parliament from Kannur Lok sabha seat, K. Sudhakaran have said that Dr. Shashi Tharoor was only an individual in Congress party and if he doesn’t abide by party line he will have to go out of the party. The firebrand Kerala state Congress committee chief was speaking to reporters at his home turf Kannur on Sunday.
Sudhakaran was responding to the political stand taken by Tharoor that he requires more time to study on the controversial high-speed rail which is being implemented by the state government. While all the MP’s of the Congress and the UDF had approached the Union Railway minister not to sanction the project citing environmental and financial issues, Tharoor did not meet the Railway minister.
After not joining the Congress and UDF MP’s from Kerala in meeting the Union Railway Minister, Tharoor had told media persons that he didn’t go as he needs more time to study the negative impacts, if any, of the proposed high-speed rail project.
Congress has been on a high volatile campaign against the high-speed rail project citing the environmental and financial damage the project would be bringing to the state. The project is proposed to be completed in five years’ time with an investment of around 1 lakh crore rupees.
The open statement of Tharoor didn’t go well with the state Congress leadership with former Union home minister and former KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran openly calling the state Congress leadership to teach Tharoor the intricacies of party discipline. However the KPCC president K. Sudhakaran and the leader of the opposition, V.D. Satheeshan was not harsh in the attack on Tharoor as they felt that the Thiruvananthapuram MP was seriously studying the issue.
During the inaugural function of a major Shopping mall at the state capital, Tharoor praised Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan stating that the Chief Minister was taking positive steps for bringing in investments to the state. This triggered more sharp reactions from the state Congress leaders as they felt that supporting Pinarayi in public would lead to a negative impression of the state Opposition.
Sudhakaran, according to party sources was adamant that Tharoor must toe the line taken by the party or else he will have to be shown the door.
Shashi Tharoor was not available for comment and according to information available, he was in the United State and will be back only in a fortnight’s time.
