Kochi: K Muraleedharan, MP, on Tuesday slammed a section of leaders who stayed away from the two-day camp organised for the newly appointed block committee presidents. The former KPCC president said the leaders' decision not to attend the meet, held at Aluva, was demoralising for the newly appointed party functionaries.
"When you contest in the elections tomorrow, these block presidents are supposed to work for you. It was not right to stay away from their gathering. You have spoiled a chance to make them happy," Muraleedharan said. He said he found time to attend the meet amid a hectic schedule as he did not like to be branded as a 'boycotter'.
Senior leaders including Ramesh Chennithala, M M Hassan, Benny Behanan MP and K C Joseph had skipped the event which was held for the newly appointed block presidents in the southern districts. The leaders had been maintaining a bitter relationship with state leadership, including KPCC president K Sudhakaran and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, over the selection of the functionaries.
Pointing to the rebellion by the leaders who represent the once prominent 'A' and 'I' factions of the party's state unit, Muraleedharan said those who criticise the leadership have not been able to pinpoint what went wrong.
Sudhakaran, Satheesan, KPCC vice-presidents V P Sajeendran, V T Balram, MLAs Anwar Sadath and Roji M John, and Political Affairs Committee member M Liju were among those who attended the event. AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar delivered the keynote address on the second day on Tuesday.
Of the 139 block presidents in the seven districts from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam, 137 participated in the meeting. Two had applied for leave owing to personal emergencies.
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