Mayor was stupid to drive into presidential convoy, says K Muraleedharan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Muraleedharan MP came to the fore criticising Mayor Arya Rajendran. He termed stupid the act of Mayor Arya Rajendran driving her car into the presidential convoy early this week.

"Am really surprised, are there none in the CPM to tell her the basics as she was stupid to have driven her car into the presidential convoy. It could have resulted into an instant firing. I wish someone in the CPI briefs her," said Muraleedharan while speaking at a party meeting here.

On December 24, there was a violation of protocol by the vehicle carrying the mayor when President Ram Nath Kovind was travelling from the airport to attend an event in the capital city.

When the President's cavalcade, with Kovind travelling in second of the 14 vehicles, was moving towards Poojapura, nearly 8 km from the airport, the Mayor's vehicle tried to enter the convoy as she had to share the dais with Kovind at the event.

After travelling a few kilometres, her vehicle got into the convoy near the General Hospital and followed the eighth vehicle of the convoy.

According to sources, this was a serious lapse and as soon as her vehicle entered into the ninth position, vehicles behind her had to halt.

Muraleedharan and Arya Rajendran have been at loggerheads for a while and the Mayor had filed a police complaint against Muraleedharan over his unsavoury remark which she said was an insult to womanhood.