Thiruvananthapuram: A day after KPCC suspended Palayam Pradeep over the clash involving Congress workers in Chirayinkeezhu, MLA Ramya Haridas has challenged the party brass by seeking her aide’s appointment as her additional private secretary. She even requested the Speaker to make this appointment with retrospective effect from May 21, but he turned down the request.The move comes amid continuing differences between Haridas and the Congress brass over the incident. An inquiry committee headed by M M Hassan reportedly found that Pradeep’s presence in Chirayinkeezhu was a major reason for the clash. The committee recommended that the Palakkad native be directed to stay away from the constituency.The controversy has deepened with allegations that Haridas misled the party-appointed inquiry committee about her whereabouts. She had reportedly informed the KPCC brass and the three-member panel that she was in Delhi while she actually was in Palakkad on Sunday and met AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.She has denied deliberately misleading the inquiry panel. She admitted that she did not travel to Delhi but said she had booked a ticket and later cancelled the trip due to ill health.She said she had travelled to Palakkad to attend the wedding of Palakkad DCC president A Thankappan’s daughter. Haridas also accused the media of targeting her and said the Chirayinkeezhu issue could be resolved through discussions.The Hassan committee had recommended disciplinary action following its inquiry into the Chirayinkeezhu clash. Based on the report, KPCC suspended Pradeep and Sajjad, concluding that the incident had caused embarrassment to the party in public.A section of Congress functionaries has expressed strong dissatisfaction over the absence of action against Haridas. They have described her stand as immature and demanded disciplinary proceedings against her.Some functionaries have also questioned her visit to Sajjad’s residence at night and alleged that KPCC acted against other party workers while leaving the MLA out of the disciplinary process. Supporters of Sajjad have also demanded strict action against Haridas.
