‘Damaged the party’s reputation, date Ramya submitted the letter including other details will be examined,’ says Sunny Joseph

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister and KPCC president Sunny Joseph has expressed strong displeasure against Ramya Haridas MLA for defying the party’s directive in the Chirayinkeezhu scuffle controversy. Speaking to the media, Sunny Joseph said that it was not appropriate for Ramya to submit a letter seeking the appointment of Palayam Pradeep as an additional personal assistant. He said the KPCC’s stand was that if the letter had now been submitted with retrospective effect, that was not acceptable.

Sunny Joseph said the date Ramya submitted the letter including other details will be examined. He added that the matter would be discussed with the KPCC committee investigating the issue, including its chairman M M Hassan. He also reminded that the incident in Chirayinkeezhu had damaged the party’s reputation. Sunny Joseph made it clear that if Ramya had submitted the letter for Pradeep after the clash, then it was not right.

Meantime, Ramya Haridas MLA responded that the clash that broke out in Chirayinkeezhu was an ordinary issue, similar to what could happen in any household, political party or organisation, and that it could have been resolved through discussions. Her response to the media was when she arrived to attend the wedding ceremony of Palakkad DCC president A Thankappan’s daughter.

When asked why she had not appeared before the KPCC committee investigating the Chirayinkeezhu clash, Ramya said she was unable to travel to Delhi due to difficulties and that her tickets, among other arrangements, had already been made. However, she did not respond to questions about her presence in Palakkad on the day she said she was in Delhi.

Ramya was in Palakkad on the day she claimed to be in Delhi. She also attended the function held at the residence of DCC president Thankappan. She reportedly arrived there in a private vehicle at around 8.30 pm. There are also reports that she met AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. M M Hassan had told the media the other day that Ramya had informed him that she could not appear before the committee because she was in Delhi and that she had given an explanation over the phone.

Ramya Haridas sends letter
Ramya Haridas MLA had the other day tried to appoint Palayam Pradeep as her PA, despite Pradeep having been suspended from the Congress in the Chirayinkeezhu clash. The letter requesting it was delivered to the office of the Legislative Assembly Secretary yesterday. It is understood that the letter requested that the appointment be made with retrospective effect from May 21.

The move came despite the demand of the Chirayinkeezhu party’s local leadership that Pradeep should be kept away from the MLA’s activities. Ramya allegedly proceeded with the appointment ignoring this demand. The Legislative Assembly Secretary was not present in his office yesterday and said he had not personally received the letter. Pradeep had earlier served as Ramya Haridas’s PA when she was an MP from Alathur.