Rajmohan Unnithan slams UDF convener Adoor Prakash over remarks against Keralam govt, party leadership

Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan, MP, has criticised UDF convener Adoor Prakash for holding a press conference in which the latter criticised the Keralam government and the party leadership, saying the move was “inappropriate for the position he holds.”

Speaking to journalist in Kanhangad on Friday, Mr. Unnithan said matters that should be raised within party forums should not be aired publicly through press conferences. He also said it was inappropriate for a person “responsible for defending the government” to hold a press conference in a manner that put the government on the defensive.

Mr. Unnithan said he too has views on appointments made by the government, but disagreed with turning such issues into personal allegations. “If there are complaints about the government or its appointments, they should be raised on party platforms,” he said, adding that there were also opportunities to bring such complaints to the attention of the leadership of the All Indian Congress Committee (AICC).

He said the State currently has a Congress-led government and that he had expected decisions to be taken collectively after consultations among the Ministers. “However, the absence of a fully constituted leadership at the KPCC and DCC levels is contributing to the problems,” Mr. Unnithan said.

According to him, once the KPCC and DCC leaderships are in place, various issues can be discussed and appropriate decisions taken. He stressed that the party needs a separate organisational leadership and that the government leadership alone was not sufficient. His position, he said, was that the party must have an independent organisational leadership.

Mr. Unnithan also questioned the delay in the reorganisation of the KPCC. “If the incumbent KPCC president Sunny Joseph has stated that he is ready to step down, he should provide this in writing,” he said, adding that a decision on appointing a new president and related matters could then be taken.

He said leaders should have “the courage” to raise differences of opinion within the party or complaints about the government in the appropriate forums. “Raising such issues before the media at an inappropriate time is not the right approach. If the KPCC has a complaint, it is the KPCC president who should raise it. The UDF convener need not make such statements,” Mr. Unnithan said.

He further said he was “not aware of Adoor Prakash saying even a single word” about these issues at the Political Affairs Committee meeting.

He described the remarks made by Mr. Prakash at the press conference as “merely personal” ones.