Ramakrishnans statement put UDF in a tight spot

KANNUR: The continuing tussle between Kannur district Congress committee president P Ramakrishnan and senior party leader K Sudhakaran MP has landed the party in a deep crisis with the former coming out with an embarrassing disclosure on the Koothuparamba firing in which five DYFI workers had succumbed to police bullets.P Ramakrishnan made the startling disclosure with the aim of maiming his party opponent Sudhakaran, but it backfired, giving an unexpected dimension to the ongoing feud in the party. In his haste to attack Sudhakaran, the DCC president failed to assess the damage likely to be caused by his statement to the UDF.Sensing trouble, Ramakrishnan made a vain bid to retract his statement on Sudhakaran’s role in persuading CMP leader M V Raghavan to visit Koothuparamba, that resulted in the police firing nearly two decades ago.Ramakrishnan came out with an explanation that his statement “was distorted by TV channels and some mediapersons”.“I had never said that K Sudhakaran was responsible for the Koothuparamba firing,” Ramakrishnan said. “As a result of the Koothuparamba firing Congress workers had suffered a lot.”Strangely, the normally flamboyant Sudhakaran refused to react to the comments stating that he would express his views in the party forum.Meanwhile, giving a new twist to the controversy, the CMP came out with a statement that “nobody had prevented M V Raghavan from visiting Koothuparamba.” A statement by the district executive of the party asserted that it was to inaugurate an evening branch of the Koothuparamba Urban Bank that MVR visited the place. Either the UDF or the district administration had asked him not to go to Koothuparamba then. The CMP statement also expressed serious doubts about the “mental stability” of Ramakrishnan.Supporters of K Sudhakaran had barred Ramakrishnan from entering the office of the DCC a few weeks ago. A similar blockade was expected to be held on Friday also, but this was dropped presumably following the directives of the KPCC leadership. A protest demonstration against Ramakrishnan was held later.The premises of the Kannur DCC office was flooded with posters attacking Ramakrishnan and demanding his resignation. No wonder, Ramakrishnan’s reported statement on the role of K Sudhakaran in the Koothuparamba firing came as another bonanza to the CPM. The latest demand made by the party leadership is that Ramakrishnan should also come up with the truth relating to the attempt on the life of CPM leader E P Jayarajan.As the controversy rages on, it has become increasingly clear that P Ramakrishnan is all set to lose his job as president of the DCC. His statements have already given a lot of political mileage to the CPM, but whether he could remain in the Congress in the wake of the new developments is yet to be seen.