Electricity Minister and KPCC president Sunny Joseph on Monday warned Congress leaders against publicly expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s functioning, following criticism from senior party leaders Adoor Prakash and MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan over recent decisions and actions.
Joseph told the media that party members had been advised not to make public statements that could trigger controversy. He stressed that all members must strictly follow the party’s code of conduct and warned that any violations would have to be reported to the national leadership.
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The warning comes amid growing differences within the Congress over consultation within the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the government’s handling of the CMRL-Exalogic case.
Senior leader and UDF convenor Adoor Prakash had expressed displeasure with Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan over what he described as a lack of consultation within the ruling front. Prakash had publicly raised concerns about not being consulted, while clarifying that his objection was to the lack of consultation rather than the decisions themselves. The matter was subsequently brought to the attention of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), which held discussions with both leaders.
Meanwhile, MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan criticised the delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR) in the CMRL-Exalogic case, citing findings by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He also questioned the government’s decision to initiate a preliminary inquiry, alleging that the move benefited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was named as an accused in the case.
The issue has widened differences within the Congress, with several leaders expressing dissatisfaction over the government’s approach to the case. An FIR was subsequently registered following a direction from the Kerala High Court.
Joseph sought to play down the controversy, pointing out that the FIR had been registered and that the matter was now under consideration. However, the arguments presented by the Advocate General before the High Court have reportedly left several Congress leaders unhappy.
Defending the government’s approach, Joseph maintained that the party was not afraid of anyone and was in no hurry to register a case. He said the decision to conduct a preliminary inquiry had been based on certain Supreme Court rulings.
The developments have brought internal differences within the Congress into focus, with the KPCC leadership emphasising party discipline and urging members to avoid public statements that could lead to further controversy over government decisions.
