Tempers run high at Congress' Kerala meet over 'gifting' of Rajya Sabha seat
Thiruvananthapuram, June 11: Tempers ran high at the meeting of Political Affairs Committee of Congress' Kerala unit here on Monday over the manner in which a Rajya Sabha seat which should have gone to the party was "gifted" to the Kerala Congress-Mani which returned to the Congress-led UDF after nearly two years.
The most vocal in the meeting turned out to be outgoing Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, who was aiming for a fourth successive term in the upper house, but accused former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of scuttling his chances.
The lone seat which the Congress could have won, based on its strength in the assembly, was handed over to Kerala Congress-Mani and the ire of Kurien and a section of the committee was that this issue was not discussed in the committee, but Chandy, along with Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and state party president M.M. Hassan themselves decided about it and briefed Congress President Rahul Gandhi about the need for gifting it.
Another who went hammer and tongs against Chandy was P.C. Chacko, who was an aspirant for the seat, after young legislators last month voiced their stand that the seat should not be given to Kurien, as he has had a long innings in parliament.
While Chandy was absent, as he had left for Andhra Pradesh on his first visit after he was appointed General Secretary in charge of the state, where Congress is literally wiped out, Chandy's close aides including Benny Behanan and P.C. Vishnunath strongly defended their leader, citing his wide support base extending throughout the state and popularity. They asserted that if there is any hidden agenda to attack him, then they will not sit idle.
Chandy, before leaving for Andhra Pradesh, told the media that he has urgent business there and is not able to participate in the meet, but said Chennithala and Hassan would explain what happened.
V.M.Sudheeran, the immediate past president of the party was another one, who found fault in the troika and said this should never have happened.
Chennithala however told the meeting that henceforth all important matters before a decision is taken would be discussed in the committee and agreed that they had erred in not taking the committee into confidence on the matter.
The issue is also likely to surface in the party executive's meet on Tuesday and there too sparks are bound to fly.
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Maoist carrying bounty of Rs 15 lakh among four killed in gunfight with security forces in J’khand
Hazaribag (PTI): Four Maoists, including one carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district on Friday, police officials said.
The encounter took place in the Khapia forest area within the Keredari police station limits, following a tip-off.
"Four Maoists were killed in a gunfight with joint forces in 'Operation KotiNeer'. The Maoists killed have been identified as regional committee member Sahdeo Maho, carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh, Ranjit Ganjhu, Zonal committee member, carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh," IG, CRPF, Saket Kumar Singh told mediapersons.
The remaining two are Area Commander Budhan Karmali, carrying a reward of Rs one lakh and sub-zonal committee member Natasha, a woman who hailed from Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
SDPO of Barkagaon, Pawan Kumar, said that no security personnel were injured in the operation.
The Maoists killed were wanted in about 80 cases.
With the encounter, only 57 Maoists are left in the state, the IG said.
A number of arms were also recovered during the operation including two AK 47 and one INSAS rifles.
The development comes close on the heels of a fierce exchange of fire between a Maoist squad headed by Misir Besra, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore, and police personnel on April 15 in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum. Four security personnel were injured in the encounter.
The Centre has already informed the state governments that there are no Naxal violence-affected districts in the country, more than five decades since Left Wing Extremism (LWE) originated in India.
The declaration followed a high-level security review held earlier this month by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the mandated 'National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism' formulated in 2015.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on March 30 that India was free from Maoists.
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