Cong leader in Kerala expelled for praising Modi

A Congress leader in Kerala, A P Abdullakutty, has been expelled from the party on charges of praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi by stating that Modi's development agendas followed Gandhian values.

Incidentally, Abdullakutty was a former leader of the CPM and was expelled from the party in 2009 for praising the Modi's development initiatives in Gujarat while serving as the Gujarat Chief Minister.

A native of Kannur district, Abdullakutty was a two-time Lok Sabha MP representing the CPM and he also won the Kerala Assembly elections twice as a Congress candidate.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran said in a statement that Abdullakutty was expelled from the party for making statement hurting the general sentiments of the party as well as its workers. Though an explanation was sought from him, he gave an unsatisfactory and ridiculing reply and also stated that he stood by his stand. Moreover, he continued to make statements insulting the party's prominent leaders.

In a social media post last week, Abdullakutty had said that Modi's victory in the elections was the acceptance of his administrative acumen and development agenda. "When you conceive a development agenda, you should be considering the poorest person you had met in your life. Modi had used this Gandhian thought in his governance. Swachh Bharat and Ujjwal Yojana schemes are examples," said Abdullakutty in the post.

Even as the post invited severe criticism from Congress workers, Abdullakutty did not withdraw it. He also justified that he had even praised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier for various development initiatives.

Even after being expelled from the Congress, Abdullakutty said that time will prove that his stand was correct. He also said that accusing Modi would invite insult to Kerala.

Asked it he would join the BJP, Abdullakutty said that he was not in a mood to think about such aspects.

Earlier there were allegations that Abdullakutty was eyeing the BJP seat in the coming by-polls to the Manjeswaram constituency in Kasargod district.

Read Abdullakutty's post here -