The Congress leader will not be able to attend any seminar related to the 23rd Party Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The Congress has banned any Congress leader from attending the Left party’s program to be held in Kannur next month. The party says that if any leader goes against the ban and participates in the seminar, then action will be taken against him. At the same time, the CPI(M) has also targeted the Congress over the move.
According to the Indian Express report, the CPI(M) had invited Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and former Union minister KV Thomas to attend the seminar. During this both the leaders were to discuss national issues. While Tharoor was asked to speak on secularism and challenges, Thomas was called to speak on state and central leadership.
Congress state chief K Sudhakaran said that the party has given instructions to all the leaders including MPs in this regard. “If any leader attends CPI(M) seminar, he will have to face action,” he said. The party’s Kerala chief said that when the CPI(M) is torturing people in the name of the proposed semi-high speed rail corridor, if the leaders participate in any such seminar, it will create a sense of humiliation against the Congress leaders. He informed that in view of the sentiments of the people, there was a ban on attending the seminar.
Tharoor is not aware of the ban!
According to the report, during a conversation with reporters, Tharoor said that he was not aware of any restrictions. “If there is any such direction from the party side, then a decision on attending the seminar will be taken after meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi,” he said. The CPI(M) Party Congress is a national meeting and there is nothing wrong in indulging in political talks. This issue will be resolved within the party itself.
Tharoor said, “This invitation is for a national program and I would say that it is necessary to take the concerns seriously and I will wait for instructions from the party high command.” There is nothing related to Kerala in the invitation.
Whereas, Thomas says that the party high command will decide whether he wants to attend the seminar or not. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the ban showed the “political poverty” of the Congress.