Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandram has said that unifying all Congress workers will be his first mission and as part of it, booth-level committees will be formed across the State this month.
‘‘On the committees, presence of women, youths and minorities will be ensured. Through these committees, over 25,000 women will come to power overnight,’’ he said while addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Kollam Press Club here on Saturday.
Mr. Ramachandran said he took over as KPCC president after much deliberations.
Capable team
‘‘The AICC had made the decision much earlier, but I put forward certain conditions. I wanted all the Congress leaders in Kerala to unanimously accept me as the chief. Here, I am only the captain of the team, the first among equals. I am just guiding a capable team and we have ensured internal democracy in our party,’’ he said.
Slamming the Centre for the Rafale deal and calling it perhaps the biggest scam India had ever seen, he asked why the Modi government was not ready to set up a joint parliamentary committee to probe the allegations. ‘‘When we had the option of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a much better public sector undertaking with nearly 70 years of experience in aerospace, he overlooked it for Anil Ambani's company formed just 13 days before the announcement,’’ he said.
‘Pure cronyism’
Pointing out the deal as a case of pure cronyism, he challenged the Centre to reveal the balance sheet of Mr. Ambani's company. ‘‘Mr. Modi just wanted to help Mr. Ambani's company. We will go ahead with protests and agitations until they set up a joint parliamentary committee,’’ he said.
Mentioning the death of IIT Professor-turned-Clean Ganga activist G.D. Agarwal, he said the Prime Minisiter had been betraying the people for long.
Breweries issue
Commenting on the breweries issue, he said the LDF government had issued licence to start brewery units in the middle of the flood.
"The Chief Minister had to cancel it when we exposed the corruption. But now he has set up a committee for issuing licence which has a number of obedient officials,’’ he said.
On the Sabarimala issue, he said the Congress was with the devotees. ‘‘We are not against gender equality. But how many real devotees will go to Sabarimala breaking all customs? It's not a tourist spot. Be it a temple or mosque, the decisions should be taken without hurting the sentiments of devotees,’’ he said.