Kottayam: CPM's Jaick C Thomas has once again challenged his Congress counterpart in the running for the bypoll in the constituency Chandy Oommen for a debate on Puthuppally's development.
"It is with utmost humility that we asked for a debate on the issues of development in Puthuppally. But the invite is not welcome. They are running away from it," Jaick said.
The LDF candidate repeated his dare at a women's gathering organised by the CPM-affiliated All India Democratic Women's Association at Pampady in Puthuppally constituency on Tuesday.
Jaick said the LDF would 'boldly and relentlessly' take forward the debate surrounding livelihood issues and development.
"Once Vijayan 'mash' (M N Vijayan) had said that you can throw a child out of a class for asking a question. But just because the child has been expelled does not mean that the question ceases to exist," Jaick said.
He said the LDF had raised the issue of development right at the start of the official election campaign. "Are you ready to debate on development and livelihood issues in Puthuppally," Jaick said, throwing the gauntlet yet again.
"It is not hubris or arrogance or even a challenge. It is with utmost humility and love that we called for a discussion on these issues, on the struggles mothers in Puthuppally face to get drinking water, on travel-unworthy byroads, on schools and hospitals, on problems of life itself. But the invite is not being picked up. They are running away from it," he said and added: "As Vijayan 'mash' said, the question will remain."
Jaick credited all signs of development in Puthuppally to state governments run by the LDF. "How did a primary health care centre that functioned in a single-storeyed building transform into a three-storeyed building? How did the Pampady Taluk Hospital develop despite our limitations?" he wondered.
"None of these are connected to the five-decade dominance of the Congress," he said.
And then, raising his pitch to a crescendo, he said: "If Puthuppally constituency has anyone to thank for the inspiring transformation of the health centres here, then it has to be the two teachers seated on the dais: one is K K Shailaja and the other is P K Sreemathy."
Earlier during the event, the two former health ministers of Kerala said Puthuppally did not have a proper government hospital for 40 years under Oommen Chandy. They said the new buildings were constructed when they were health ministers, under V S Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan governments.
Chandy Oommen, while talking to Onmanorama on August 21, said that his father had brought development to Puthuppally but had not made a song and dance about it.
"He was an MLA who developed the infrastructure of the constituency. However, he did not carry out any branding. He looked upon his work as a duty. How can anyone publicise what is essentially one's duty? What he did, therefore, did not get any publicity. But the reality remains," Chandy had said.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan, right when the first debate call was made, had rejected the idea. "Look who is challenging us for a debate. It has been months since their supreme leader opened his mouth. He has already earned the nickname Akashavani Vijayan," Satheesan said.
The Akashavani taunt referred to the chief minister’s alleged reluctance to respond to critical questions, especially related to his daughter Veena.
