Congress facing embarrassment for remark against Kerala Health Minister for second time

The Opposition Congress in Kerala is facing a major embarrassment over one of its leaders' adverse remarks against Health Minister K K Shailaja for the second time over COVID-19.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday strongly flayed Kerala PCC president Mullappally Ramachandran for his 'COVID Queen' and 'Nipah Princess' remark against the health minister. He said that such statements were reflecting the degradation of the Congress party.

An earlier remark of Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala against health minster that she was becoming a media maniac by constantly briefing the media had also invited severe criticism.

While Ramachandram remained firm on his statement against the health minister despite the mounting criticism, Congress workers on Saturday staged a protest march against the husband of Malayali nurse Lini, who died during nipah, after he flayed Ramachandran's statement against the health minister. This also invited further criticism against the Congress.

Meanwhile, many Congress leaders were also learnt to be unhappy with Ramachandran's statement as they feel that the ruling CPI(M) could use it to divert attention from the protest being scaled up against the government over various issues like insisting on COVID-19 test for all.