The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee has sought an explanation from its vice president A.K. Mani for his actions refusing to accompany former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy when he called on the agitating Pengal Otrumai activists, while at the same time participating in a reception given to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he was in Munnar the other day.
The issue had figured in the KPCC Political Affairs Committee on Tuesday and firmed up by the KPCC’s omnibus executive committee meeting on Wednesday. Considering the gravity of his actions at a time when the Congress party was on a confrontation course with the CPI(M) and the LDF government over their reluctance to evict encroachments in Munnar, Mr. Mani appeared to have been lucky of getting away by giving an explanation, instead of being slapped with a show cause notice.
Mr. Mani had reportedly stated that he would not accompany AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi if he were to call on the Pengal Otrumai activists, let alone his mentor Mr. Chandy. This apparently did not go down well with some of the party leaders who wanted stern action against a leader who held a high post in the part, if only as a deterrent.
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The Chandy group did not make much noise and preferred to play along if the proposed action was of a lighter nature. The appropriate moves were made to make the action light, with KPCC sources saying that the party leaders would close the case with the explanation of Mr. Mani, who had his own personal reasons for refusing to accompany Mr. Chandy.
But what irked some of the Congress leaders was Mr. Mani’s presence at Mr. Vijayan’s reception when he arrived in Munnar to participate in an official function for distributing title-deeds.