Video of argument between senior Congress leaders at press meet in Kerala goes viral
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A viral video in which two senior Congress leaders in Kerala are purportedly seen having an argument over addressing a press conference has brought embarrassment to the party in the southern state.
KPCC Chief K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan are seen arguing with each other over who should address the reporters first at the press meet held soon after the victory of the party candidate in the recent Puthuppally bypoll was declared.
As the video went viral on social media platforms, Satheesan came out with an explanation on Wednesday, saying it was just a friendly exchange and there was no serious disagreement between them.
However, the ruling LDF in the state took a dig at the Congress with the Left front's convenor E P Jayarajan saying "I am happy it did not turn into a fight".
Jayarajan said there were a lot of problems within the Congress-led UDF opposition and it was only going to get worse.
"This time it was over a mic, next time it will be something else," he said.
At the same time, he said that the Left front does not wish for the Congress or the UDF to be destroyed by the infighting.
When reporters asked about the video, Satheesan admitted that there was some argument between them at that time.
But it was not like the one which you (media) imagined, he said with a smile.
"When the party candidate won the bypoll with a record majority of over 37,000 votes, the KPCC chief said he would give full credit for the victory to me during the press meet. But I disagreed with it. I told him that the credit should be given to Team United Democratic Front."
Satheesan further said that when Sudhakaran continued to insist, he handed over the microphone to him.
The LoP said the KPCC Chief was very adamant and said what he wished to say in the press meet and gave him the whole credit of the bypoll victory.
The Congress added that he didn't speak much during the press conference as he was suffering from a throat infection.
In the video, it could be seen that a visibly annoyed Satheesan was turning the television channel microphones, placed on a table in front of them, towards Sudhakaran and remaining silent throughout the press meet.
Satheesan was also seen refusing to accept the shawls presented to him by the party workers at the venue of the press conference.
Sudhakaran is yet to comment on the incident.
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Udupi: Two men from Belthangady awarded life imprisonment for attempt to murder a woman in 2022
Udupi: Two men from Belthangady have been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Udupi for attempting to murder a woman in Manchikumeri in 2022.
The sentenced men, Mithun and Nagesh Poojary, are learned to have attempted to murder Sumathi, wife of Ramanath Rai, a resident of Manchikumeri, who had a Nandini Milk Parlour at Tiger Circle, Manipal.
On February 18, 2022, Sumathi was reportedly alone at home when, at around 7 pm, Mithun, learned to be her nephew, and his friend Poojary came to the house. As Sumathi opened the door, the duo barged in and tried to strangulate her with an intention of murdering her. Sumathi reportedly lost consciousness under the attack.
The men packed her body in a sack and were then putting the sack into a suitcase to carry the body out, when they noticed that Rai and neighbours had arrived. They are learned to have opened the door when Rai knocked the door and then tried to escape. They were, however, caught by the neighbours and handed over to the police.
Further, Sumathi was found by the group in an unconscious state inside the suitcase in the house. She was rushed to the Manipal Hospital and learned to have recovered after a week of medical treatment.
A case had been registered at the Manipal Police Station.
The Udupi Principal District and Sessions Court judge Kiran S Gangannavar, who heard the case, has declared both Mithun and Poojary guilty in the case. He has awarded them life imprisonment, fined them Rs 20,000 each and, under Column 325, sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment of 5 years and fined them Rs 5,000 each.
Judge Gangannavar has directed that, of the fine, Rs 45,000 be handed to the attack victim Sumathi as relief.
Jayarama Shetty represented the government as Public Prosecutor.
