Congress slams Kerala govt over newspaper ads against Oommen Chandy rule

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 5 (PTI) The Congress in Kerala on Thursday slammed the state government's PRD for giving advertisements in leading English and Malayalam dailies about the alleged shortcomings during the Oommen Chandy administration.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph, party general secretary K C Venugopal and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, among others, termed the advertisements as an attempt by the Left government to improve its image ahead of the assembly polls at the expense of taxpayers.

Venugopal, also the MP from Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, said that such a thing has never before happened in the state.

He said that when doctors, ASHA workers, etc,. seeking enhancement of their wages, the government says "no".

"But, it spends crores of rupees on trying to regain its lost image. People will see through it. They (CPIM) attacked Oommen Chandy when he was alive and they are doing it even now, scared of his popularity among the public," the Alappuzha MP told reporters.

KPCC chief Joseph expressed a similar view at a press conference held here during the day.

Joseph claimed that the public relations department (PRD) of the government was using public funds to spread lies.

He said that it was being done to overcome the recent defeat of the CPI(M) and LDF in the local body polls and divert attention from the internal problems in the Left party and front.

He further said that it was a "wrong practice" that has never been seen before in the state.

Earlier in the day, Chennithala contended that using public money to issue such advertisements which "hide the good things done by the Oommen Chandy government and spread lies, is an abuse of power and an extravagance" by the PRD.

The senior Congress leader further said that the PRD was using taxpayer money to run election-related campaigns and warned that none of the officials involved in it would draw pension.

"They (PRD) are wasting public money to help the CPI(M) and LDF in the coming elections. This should have never happened. We will take strict legal action against it," he said.

He also said the PRD is expected to be unbiased and therefore, it should have also mentioned the graft allegations against the first Pinarayi Vijayan government in the advertisements issued by it. PTI HMP KH