Congress morally bound; will clear NM Vijayan’s debt soon: Sunny Joseph

Wayanad: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph on Friday said that the Congress party will settle the debt of late District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer N M Vijayan at the Sulthan Bathery Urban Cooperative Bank “as soon as possible.”

Speaking to the media after a meeting with Congress Working Committee members along with the DCC in Kalpetta, Joseph said that the party was not financially affluent but said it was “morally bound” to clear the dues. “Though we are not legally bound, we are morally bound to settle the debt of N M Vijayan. If Congress owns the responsibility, we will fulfil it,” he said.

The controversy began after Padmaja, Vijayan’s daughter-in-law, launched an indefinite sit-in in front of the DCC office demanding repayment of the loan. The issue had triggered a crisis in Wayanad, a VIP constituency for Congress, represented by the Gandhi family members.

“We will stand by the family of N M Vijayan and continue to support them,” Joseph added, noting that the KPCC disciplinary committee had already probed the matter and submitted a report. He also pointed out that Vijayan himself, in his suicide note, had asked the party leadership to discuss the matter with the bank. “Since the bank has certain limitations to write off the debt, it is the duty of the party to take it over,” Joseph said.

On the suicide of Congress Mullankolly village panchayat member Jose Nelledam, Joseph said a two-member team, comprising Saji Joseph MLA, who is in charge of Wayanad district, and KPCC general secretary Alippatta Jameela, has been tasked with conducting inquiries and will submit a report within two days. “Based on that report, necessary organisational action will be taken,” he said. Joseph, however, declined to comment on possible regime change in the Wayanad DCC.

Earlier, senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and K C Venugopal MP, took part in discussions with DCC members. Party insiders said the visit was aimed at resolving internal disputes and factionalism in Wayanad. However, leaders publicly maintained that the visit was personal.

Leaders visit RCRS
The Congress leaders also visited the Regional Coffee Research Station (RCRS), Chundale, and the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Puthurvayal.

At the RCRS, the leaders interacted with officials and a delegation of coffee farmers. They were received by station director Dr M Karuthamani and deputy directors Dr Rudra Gowda and Basavaraj Chulakky.

At the MSSRF, the leaders visited the plant nursery and walked through the biological park. They also planted trees to mark the occasion and later held a video conference with Dr Soumya Viswanathan, daughter of M S Swaminathan and current chairperson of the foundation.