Thiruvananthapuram: The move by Chirayinkeezhu MLA Ramya Haridas, who is facing criticism over her involvement in a clash with local Congress workers, to seek the appointment of suspended party man Palayam Pradeep as her additional private secretary has drawn sharp criticism from the party top brass.Haridas had reportedly submitted a letter to the assembly secretariat seeking Pradeep’s appointment a day after the Congress announced disciplinary action against him. KPCC is now examining whether the letter was submitted after the party’s disciplinary action was formally communicated.Senior Congress functionaries have expressed displeasure over her move, which they view as a challenge to the party decision. Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and KPCC president Sunny Joseph have criticised Haridas’ decision. Radhakrishnan said Haridas should not have unnecessarily dragged the assembly and the speaker’s office into the controversy.“The speaker’s office should not be made part of the controversy. It is unacceptable to cast suspicion on the speaker’s office,” Radhakrishnan said. He added that Haridas had spoken to him over the issue and that he had made his position clear to her.Joseph said submitting such a letter was not advisable. He said the KPCC would examine when exactly Haridas had submitted the letter and added that the recent clash in Chirayinkeezhu had put the party in bad light.Health minister K Muraleedharan said everyone in Congress, irrespective of whether they were an MLA, MP or minister, must function within the party framework. “If the party expels someone, that person is outside the party. If the party takes disciplinary action, it remains disciplinary action,” he said.Meanwhile, Kozhikode DCC general secretary Shajir Arafath demanded that Haridas be removed from the party. In a Facebook post, Arafath accused her of insulting the people, the party and its workers and said she had proved herself unworthy of holding the post of KPCC vice-president.Arafath warned that the party would have to pay a heavy price if Haridas was not kept away from the organisation and urged the Congress top brass to take a firm stand on the issue.The local Congress functionaries in Chirayinkeezhu have also made it clear that Pradeep would not be allowed to function from the assembly constituency.
