Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithi (JSS) general secretary K. R. Gouri, who has been taking a strong stance against the ‘approach' of the Congress towards its allies in the United Democratic Front (UDF), says she has never worked against the UDF.
In a statement here on Thursday, the first one after a JSS State committee meeting here this week (she found little support for her stance in the party), Ms. Gouri said she had not worked against the UDF. However, certain circumstances had forced her to express her views publicly. This did not mean that she was against the UDF.
She said the differences of opinion between the JSS and the Congress began prior to the 2006 Assembly elections when the Congress Aroor constituency committee issued a circular directing Congress workers to work against Ms. Gouri, who was the UDF candidate there. After her defeat, she lodged complaints with the Congress leadership, following which Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala ensured that Congress Aroor block president Rajendra Prasad apologised to Ms. Gouri. However, the Padmarajan committee report on the incident, despite several requests from her, was not discussed by the UDF, nor was any action taken till date against the Congress cadre who worked against her, she said.
At the same time, she had ensured that the JSS campaigned for Congress candidates in the recent Parliament elections and Assembly bypolls, she said adding that speaking out her opinion did not imply that she was against the Congress.
Indicating that her differences of opinion were yet to be settled, Ms. Gouri said there were several areas where the JSS was not given representation on UDF committees.
“My party strongly believes that in the UDF, all allies are equal with freedom of expression. Nobody is a slave or in any way, a lesser mortal than the other,” she said adding in response to UDF convener P. P. Thankachan's recent statement that anyone could come and meet her anytime, without bothering about what astrologers said.
