KC(M) hits back at Pannian

The verbal brickbat between Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)] and CPI State unit secretary Pannian Raveendran is hotting up with the KC(M) alleging that the CPI leader is continuing his tirade against Finance Minister K.M. Mani only to put on a hero’s image within his party.

The latest round of allegations comes in the wake of the reported statement from Mr. Raveendran that Mr. Mani was unfit to be a LDF partner.

KC(M) general secretary Joseph M. Puthussery said here on Saturday that there was a ‘hidden agenda’ behind the repeated criticism against Mr. Mani by Mr. Raveendran. Mr. Raveendran had earlier endorsed that Mr. Mani was eligible to become the Chief Minister of Kerala. However, Mr. Mani had made it clear that he was not thinking in that line, Mr. Puthussery said.

With the organisational elections in the CPI round the corner, Mr. Raveendran, who has found himself on the back foot following the revelations in the selection of party candidate for the Thiruvananthapuram Parliament seat, wanted to regain his hold over the organisation, Mr Puthussery alleged.

The easiest way was to use Mr. Mani as a means to launch a diatribe against the CPI(M) and gain a ‘‘hero’s image,’’ according to Mr. Puthussery.

He asked the CPI leader to desist from unnecessarily dragging Mr. Mani into an inner party conflict in the CPI.