Kerala's Sex Scandal May Be Responsible For Rethinking Of Kerala Trips Of National Leaders
By Sanjay Sharma, Section Pradesh Congress Committees
Posted on Sun Dec 12, 2004 at 02:38:06 AM EST
The Kerala sex scandal involving state Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty is proving too hot for the Congress to handle. For the Congress, retaining Kunhalikutty is becoming a matter of liability — all the more because he belongs to ally IUML. All partymen would have been happy with the decision to back him had he been a Congressman. The Left has made an issue of the scandal, although the victim has retracted her accusation more than once.
- Eyebrows are being raised now with the Chief Minister announcing in Thiruvananthapurm today that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called off his two-day trip, scheduled for January 01, 2005. When contacted, PMO sources said the PM’s trip was three weeks away and a final decision on his visit would be taken much later. Chandy did not explain why the PM was putting off his trip. It is but obvious that it would be difficult for him to dodge Left demonstrations on the issue if he visits the state. Unlike the CPI(M) in West Bengal, the Kerala unit of the Communist Party is not that Congress-friendly.
- Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s visit on December 31 is also uncertain. In fact, on her way to Mauritius recently, Sonia had briefly halted at Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala media had hoped that the UPA chairperson would meet them, as it would be her first media interaction in the state after the Congress was voted to power. Sonia did not oblige and there was widespread speculation that the Kunhalikutty issue stood in the way. The mediapersons would have definitely tried to embarrass her with questions on her opinion on Chandy persisting with Kunhalikutty in the state Cabinet.
But Sonia’s proposed trip is important from the Congress’ organisational point of view. She was supposed to open a Caritas Cancer Centre in Kottayam, other than visiting Putthupally, the constituency of Oomen Chandy where she was due to inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology. And more importantly, she was supposed to open the new premises of the Kerala Pradesh Congress in the state Capital.
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From The Indian Express - December 11, 2004 - by Diptosh Majumdar
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=60619
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