UDF convenor challenges CM on flight

Adoor Prakash, United Democratic Front convenor, demanded Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan reveal who sponsored his private chartered flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Karipur in September.

Flight was for flood relief tour

The chartered flight took the Chief Minister to tour flash-flood-inundated localities in Malappuram district. Prakash said Satheesan must show courage to name the anonymous benefactor.

Prakash cites moral obligation

Speaking to a television channel, Prakash said Satheesan had a moral obligation to clear the politically controversial ambiguity surrounding his obstinate refusal to name the flight sponsor.

“obstinate refusal”

Prakash complains to Congress leadership

Prakash told All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi last month that the government kept the party and UDF in the dark about critical decisions.

Prakash fears his post is redundant

Prakash said he feared the UDF convenor post had become redundant and compared his predicament to K. Sudhakaran, who was isolated and removed as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president.

Health Minister hints at deeper conflict

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan suggested Prakash's criticism went beyond what meets the eye, implying someone was behind the scenes orchestrating the attack on the Chief Minister.

“If one person is continuously speaking against the Chief Minister, then there is somebody behind the curtain.”

Broader party tensions over FIR decision

Congress leaders including K. Sudhakaran and Mathew Kuzhalnadan criticized Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala for favouring a preliminary enquiry rather than an FIR against former Chief Minister Vijayan in the CMRL-Exalogic case.

CM defends cautious approach to FIR

Satheesan and Chennithala argued that hastily registering an FIR based on Enforcement Directorate charges would be legally untenable and expose the government to accusations of political revenge-seeking.