Tiff between Congress MP, Kerala district collector escalates

The tiff between Kozhikode Congress Lok Sabha member M.K. Raghavan and district collector Prasanth Nair over the MP local area development fund has escalated, with the former demanding action against the latter.

Nair and Raghavan have been at loggerheads over the manner of utilisation of the MP local area fund.

However, matters came to a head when Raghavan approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demanding action be taken against Nair for his rude and curt behaviour.

"I have officially complained to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand and now its for them to take action for the way he has behaved," Raghavan told reporters here on Saturday.

What irked Raghavan was when he demanded that Nair apologise for his rude behaviour, Nair who is quite active on social media, posted a map of Kunnamkulam (a town in Thrissur district).

The Malayalam word for apologise is 'mappu' and in a hugely popular yesteryear Malayalam film there is a dialogue that mentions the map of Kunnamkulam.

"I will definitely take this up at all levels that I can as this is tantamount to demeaning lakhs of people who elected me," added Raghavan, a two time Lok Sabha member.

Nair however says that he has only followed the rules and regulations while sanctioning funds for MP projects.

The Kozhikode district Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) secretary P. Mohanan told reporters that they feel that Raghavan, in order to play down his ineffectiveness as a lawmaker, is trying to blame others.

Last year Nair came under fire from the Kozhikode district Congress president K.C. Abu.

But Nair got away unscathed because of his proximity to then State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. This time it remains to be seen who will have the last laugh.

--IANS

sg/rn/bg