UDF lands into trouble

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new verbal war between Congress MLA T.N. Prathapan and Government Chief Whip P.C. George has become a headache for the Congress leadership and UDF in the state as Prathapan penned a letter to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on the issue and some Congress MLAs publicly demanded to rein in George.


The argument of Congress MLAs is that Chief Minister and KPCC President has failed to safeguard them at a situation when a Congress MLA was attacked by a leader of another party.


Meanwhile, P.C. George poured oil on the fire further late Friday night by saying that he is not willing to reply to the foolishness of some people.


The problem arose against the backdrop of the issue of taking over estates at Nelliyampathi over which George had locked horns with Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar.


T.N. Prathapan had written an article in a weekly opposing the arguments of P.C. George which in turn infuriated the latter. Responding to this article, George said he is the son of a farmer and that is why he is interfering with the problems of farmers. He went on to say that Prathapan should try to learn the problems of fishermen who belong to Dheevara caste. As a matter of fact, Prathapan comes from a fishermen sector.


It was interpreted that George insulted Prathapan by commenting on his caste.