Reshuffle needed in party, not in cabinet, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A reshuffle is needed in the party and not in the cabinet, said senior leader K Muraleedharan. A decision on the cabinet reshuffle has to be taken by the high command and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

 Differences of opinion on the reshuffle will not affect the party’s unity, he said.

I’m not as cheap as George, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: I cannot be as cheap as Chief Whip P C George, said K Muraleedharan MLA. I’ve not taken his statement seriously and I am not a person who speaks anything on seeing a mike, he said. George is an insult to the UDF. He just wants to stain the cabinet. The front will suffer a setback if a person like George is not restrained. My culture doesn’t allow me to give a reply to his statements, said Murali.

People aware of everything, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The people of the state are aware of everything, said Congress leader K Muraleedharan MLA. All those who have spread light in the solar case has been released from jail, said Murali. Only some small bulbs like Saritha S Nair, second accused in the solar case, is in jail. She will also be released soon, Murali told reporters.

Murali said, “I’m not saying much due to party ban. I don’t agree with all the statements of Chief Whip P C George. But I don’t favour blocking a people’s representative on the way. George should be controlled by his party.”

I’m ready to correct mistakes, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Muraleedharan MLA said that he is ready to correct his mistakes if any party rules have been violated. Murali said that he is more cautious than before from making any statements. He said this while reacting to M M Hassan’s statement that the former is not obeying the directive of the high command against making open statements.

Murali said, “I’ve not behaved rudely to any congress leader. As an MLA, I just shared the anxiety of the people in the solar case. The investigation of the case is moving in the right direction. I fully support the political stand taken by the chief minister in the case. A section of the police department loyal to the LDF is trying to divert the investigation in the case. I just tried to bring it to the notice of the government.”

Film personalities advice not needed for deciding minister, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Film personalities advice is not needed for deciding a minister in the UDF, said K Muraleedharan MLA. He said after casting vote for the LDF, directors’ advice is not necessary to decide a minister in the UDF.

The UDF should hold discussions before taking a final decision in accommodating K B Ganesh Kumar. We have our own opinions and film personalities need not decide the minister, he said. Murali said this after meeting KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala.

Karunakaran's image cannot be stained, says Murali

KOZHIKODE: Each time the state film awards are announced, a round of controversy follows. This time is no different, and former chief minister K Karunakaran's name has been dragged into the controversy.

Less than 24 hours after the awards were announced, Karunakaran's son K Muraleedharan lashed out at Kamal, director of Celluloid, which won the best film award this time.

"Even if a 1,000 Kamals come along, the image of Karunakaran cannot be stained. It's unfortunate that for the sake of cheap publicity for his film, the director has dragged the name of Karunakaran right into his project. Karunakaran always wanted the Malayalam film industry to thrive," a peeved Muraleedharan told reporters.

Celluloid, the film which won seven state awards this year, including the best film and best actor awards, is a period film about the Father of Malayalam Cinema, J C Daniel, who produced, directed, wrote, photographed, edited and acted in the first film made in Kerala, ‘Vigathakumaran’ (The Lost Child), in 1928.

Celluloid makes an indirect reference to Karunakaran, three-time chief minister of the state who died, aged 92, in Dec 2010. The film also refers to then senior IAS official Malayatoor Ramakrishnan. Both the men are depicted as having treated Daniel with contempt in the mid-1970s.

"Kamal is certainly a very good filmmaker, but he did what he ought not to have, for the sake of cheap publicity," said Murali.

Speaking to the media, Kamal said: "Yes, it's right that both Karunakaran (as culture minister of the state) and Ramakrishnan (who served as culture secretary) were unable to do justice to Daniel. That is well known."

Cinema Minister of the State and former actor K B Ganesh Kumar added his mite to the controversy: "In the film on Gandhi, Britishers are shown as villains. To have some drama, certain inputs are needed in a film. This matter has to be seen in that light."

The state government, in 1992, honoured Daniel by instituting the J C Daniel Award as part of the Kerala State Film Awards to honour lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema.

As "Celluloid" hits the screens, it remains to be seen if even more Congressmen will come forward in stout defence of Karunakaran.

Narasimha Rao had role in ISRO espionage case, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Muraleedharan MLA said that former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao has a role in the ISRO espionage case if a political conspiracy had taken place. He said that his father K Karunakaran had asserted many times that Rao was a person who could not be trusted.

Rao, who first said that he was not aware of the espionage case, had sought Karunakaran’s resignation. Rao had tried to eliminate leaders who were against him by implicating them in false cases. Four cases were charged against K Karunakaran, Murali said.

Murali said that he will sent a letter to the chief minister seeking action against three cops found guilty by the CBI in the spy case.

Murali said this at a function attended by Nambi Narayanan, named as an accused in the spy case and later acquitted by the CBI.

Majority would’ve been more if Selvaraj wasn’t the candidate, says Murali

KOZHIKODE: It somebody else other than R Selvaraj had contested as the UDF candidate in Neyyatinkara, the majority would have crossed 25,000 votes, said K Muraleedharan MLA. Many including me had opposed the candidature of Selvaraj. We supported him later as the disagreement would have favoured the LDF, he said.


Differences of opinion of some motivated them to vote for BJP. The candidature of Rajagopal as the BJP candidate benefited the UDF. He asked he state leadership to think that if a weak person had contested as the BJP candidate then who would’ve got those votes.

I’ll react if League provokes, says Murali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Muraleedharan MLA said that he will react if the Muslim League provokes him. Reacting to KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala’s statement that many used to leave the KPCC executive meet midway and the leaving of K Muraleedharan MLA should also been seen like that, Murali told that he left the place in protest against the former’s statement without asking him in which context he spoke against the Muslim League.


Murali said, “I’ll not utter a word against the Muslim League from now on. But if they provoke, will surely respond. I’ll campaign for the UDF candidate in Neyyatinkara.”