Cong. leaders accuse former DCC secretary of misleading voters on party symbol in Mattathur

Defeated United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates in the Mattathur grama panchayat elections have alleged that former District Congress Committee (DCC) secretary T.M. Chandran deliberately misled voters by spreading confusion over the party symbol, resulting in their defeat and denying the UDF a clear majority in the panchayat.

At a press conference held at the Thrissur Press Club on Wednesday, they said voters were falsely told that umbrella, and not the hand, was the Congress symbol and that candidates contesting under the umbrella symbol were the official Congress nominees.

“We contested on the hand symbol and sought votes as Congress candidates. However, a systematic attempt was made to portray us as rebels, while those contesting under the umbrella symbol were projected as official candidates,” said Mahila Congress district secretary Shalini Joy, who was among those defeated.

The leaders alleged that Mr. Chandran acted in a manner that directly benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance. “The UDF should have won the panchayat with a clear margin. Instead, Mr. Chandran’s political manoeuvres weakened the Congress and pushed it into the present crisis,” they said.

They warned that any move to readmit Mr. Chandran into the Congress would force them into political silence. “If Mr. Chandran is taken back, we will not be able to face the people again seeking votes,” they said.

The leaders claimed that Mr. Chandran had close links with the BJP and that his group had secured BJP support in advance for the panchayat president election. “The resignation of Congress panchayat members was carried out in line with the BJP’s political interests,” they alleged.

The Congress members came up with the press conference even as the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee is attempting reconciliation following the Mattathur election. The leaders alleged that Mr. Chandran and his associates were operating with the support of KPCC secretary Jose Valloor and accused them of running a parallel DCC structure in the area.

Block Congress secretary Naushad Kalluparambil, former panchayat member Benny Thondankal, and Thangamani Mohan were present at the press meet.

The leaders said they would welcome the KPCC’s decision to reinstate the eight panchayat members who resigned, provided they stepped down from the president and vice-president posts.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress leaders met MLA Rojy John, urging him to oppose any move to readmit Mr. Chandran and Shafi Kalluparambil into the party.