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Youth Cong leader questions party over Palakkad bypoll candidate
Sarin, who was one of the frontrunners for the bypoll ticket in Palakkad, alleged that the party did not conduct proper internal reviews before arriving at the name of Mamkootathil
The Youth Congress leader and head of the digital media cell in Kerala, P Sarin, started a rebellion within the party on Wednesday and questioned the selection process of Rahul Mamkootathil’s candidature for the Palakkad assembly bypolls.
Sarin’s rebellion came a day after the Congress declared Mamkootathil, the 35-year-old Youth Congress state president, as its nominee in the Palakkad assembly bypoll. The election was necessitated after sitting Congress MLA Shafi Parambil was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara.
The Congress on Tuesday also declared the names of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ramya Haridas as its nominees for the Wayanad Lok Sabha and Chelakkara assembly bypolls respectively.
Sarin, who was one of the frontrunners for the bypoll ticket in Palakkad, alleged that the party did not conduct proper internal reviews before arriving at the name of Mamkootathil.
“The party must re-examine its choice. Even after a proper review, if it feels that Rahul Mamkootathil is the best choice, the party has won half the battle because it will give the voters the belief that he was not dropped here from somewhere else. It will make it clear that this was a collective decision. The party should make the voters understand that his victory will be a victory of the democratic principles in Palakkad,” said Sarin, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2021 assembly polls from neighbouring Ottappalam constituency.
Sarin said that he had shot off a letter to former president Rahul Gandhi and current chief Mallikarjun Kharge listing his qualities as a potential candidate in the bypoll. He said that he hoped that the party would re-examine its decision and admitted that he may face action for his public remarks.
In a snide shot at his colleague and current candidate Mamkootathil, Sarin said that no one becomes a leader by posting Instagram reels or spending a few days in jail. Mamkootathil was imprisoned in connection with party protests against the LDF government on various issues and is seen to be popular on the party’s social media platforms.
The digital media cell head warned that Palakkad could “turn into another Haryana” if the Congress does not do course-corrections.
At the same time, senior Congress leader and LoP in the assembly VD Satheesan dismissed Sarin’s allegations and said that the young leader should have desisted from making public remarks against the party on the eve of an important bypoll.
“All proper procedures were followed in the selection of candidate for the Palakkad bypoll before sending the list to the AICC. I and state Congress chief K Sudhakaran take all responsibility for this. If there were lapses, we take responsibility. Rahul Mamkootathil is a very good candidate and is the face of the Congress in television debates. No one has questioned his candidature within the party,” said Satheesan.
