Kerala CM claims 'womanisers' in Congress, Chennithala hits back

Kannur: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday alleged that "womanisers" and "sexual perverts" were there in the Congress, prompting senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala to hit back, stating that the CM should first control and stop protecting such persons in LDF.

Vijayan, while speaking to reporters after casting his vote for local body polls in Kannur, referred to the multiple allegations of sexual assault against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil and said, "look at what these womanisers are doing".

"If you examine the evidence on record and the concerns raised by the victims who came forward, you can see that their complaints were delayed as they were afraid for their lives. They got death threats, hence they were scared.

"How can there be such conduct from responsible persons in the party? A lot of issues are arising as a result of it and much more is likely to come. Such a criminal group of sexual perverts come before the people and make comments like 'well drafted' to justify their actions. The public will not accept it," the CM said.

Hitting back at Vijayan, Chennithala said that the CM who was making such allegations against the Congress "should first control the womanisers and sexual perverts" in his party and Front.

The Congress leader alleged that the Left government and Vijayan were protecting and giving high positions in the party and the Front to those who insult and abuse women.

He also accused Vijayan of sitting on an actress' complaint against a former party MLA for two weeks without taking action and pointed out that the Congress had taken strict and immediate steps against Mamkootathil when allegations surfaced against the Palakkad MLA.

"It is such a person with double standards who is criticising us," he said.

Chennithala said that Vijayan is making such false statements and accusations as he is afraid that the LDF will suffer a huge loss in the local body polls.

He further contended that the CM and his government only make tall claims as there has been no major developmental work or changes in the state in the last 10 years of the Left rule.

"He is only interested in travelling abroad and that too at public expense," Chennithala alleged.