After the AICC nominated 43-year-old-woman leader Jebi Mather as party's nominee to the Rajya Sabha seat from Kerala, campaigns against her have surfaced in the state.
Mather, who was appointed as Mahila Congress Kerala unit president a few months ago, was learnt to have been handpicked by the AICC as a compromise candidate as many veterans and young leaders were staking claim for the Rajya Sabha seat, which is being vacated by senior leader A K Antony. Being a member of a traditional Congress family, Mather has acceptance from all factions of the party.
The decision of CPI(M) and CPI to nominate young leaders to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala could have provoked the Congress to nominate a young woman leader to the Rajya Sabha despite strong pressure by many seniors and veterans. It is the first time in around four decades that a woman Congress leader from Kerala is being nominated to the upper house. Moreover, Mather is from a minority community.
Despite these factors the state is now witnessing campaigns against her.
While senior Congress leader K V Thomas's son came out with a post flaying the dual post to many leaders, a picture of Mather clicking a selfie with popular actor Dileep, who is an accused in the sexual assault case against a popular actress, is being widely circulated on social media.
Mather, who is also vice chairperson of the Aluva municipality in Kerala, rejected the criticisms against her by Thomas's son Biju Thomas by terming it as intolerance towards the responsibilities she was being given.
K V Thomas had openly expressed his desire to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha, but there was hardly any backing to him from the party state leadership.
Mather also termed her selfie picture with actor Dileep as a natural one when celebrities turn up for public events. She also reminded that she had participated in events for supporting the sexual assault survivor actress.