<p>Defying the Congress leadership's diktat, senior party leader from Kerala K V Thomas decided to attend a seminar being organised in connection with the ongoing CPI(M) party congress at Kannur.</p>.<p>Thomas maintained that being a person from a traditional Congress family, he would remain as a Congressman and did not have any more parliamentary desires.</p>.<p>CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury flayed the Congress' stand of preventing its leaders from participating in a seminar on secularism.</p>.<p>CPI(M) had invited Thomas, as well as Shashi Tharoor to a seminar on Centre-state relationship on Saturday. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is also expected to attend the event.</p>.<p>But Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked the Congress leaders to keep away from the event being organised as the Congress in staging strong protest against the CPI(M)-led government over many issues. </p>.<p>However, Thomas said on Thursday in Kochi that he would attend the seminar. He also raised serious criticism against the Congress leadership and asked the party to correct its stand.</p>.<p>"Congress has become too weak to take on the BJP alone. Hence at a time when all parties need to stand together to oppose the BJP, the party's participation at the seminar is important. Even party leaders like Rahul Gandhi had shared the stage with Kerala Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan in Tamil Nadu recently. Issues between the Congress and the CPI(M) in Kerala should not come in the way of the unity of the parties to fight the BJP at the national level," he said.</p>.<p>Thomas, who was once considered as a close confident of the Gandhi family. even lamented that he could not call on Rahul Gandhi. Thomas also accused the Kerala PCC leadership of trying to keep him at gunpoint by threatening to expel him from party. He also said that he was denied the posts he deserved during party reconstitution in Kerala.</p>.<p>Kerala PCC president said that action would be taken against Thomas for flouting party discipline.</p>.<p>Thomas, who had served as union minister and a minister in Kerala, had played a key role in initiating the Food Security Act while serving as Food Minister in the second UPA government. He won elections to Lok Sabha and Kerala assembly eight times.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Defying the Congress leadership's diktat, senior party leader from Kerala K V Thomas decided to attend a seminar being organised in connection with the ongoing CPI(M) party congress at Kannur.</p>.<p>Thomas maintained that being a person from a traditional Congress family, he would remain as a Congressman and did not have any more parliamentary desires.</p>.<p>CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury flayed the Congress' stand of preventing its leaders from participating in a seminar on secularism.</p>.<p>CPI(M) had invited Thomas, as well as Shashi Tharoor to a seminar on Centre-state relationship on Saturday. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is also expected to attend the event.</p>.<p>But Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked the Congress leaders to keep away from the event being organised as the Congress in staging strong protest against the CPI(M)-led government over many issues. </p>.<p>However, Thomas said on Thursday in Kochi that he would attend the seminar. He also raised serious criticism against the Congress leadership and asked the party to correct its stand.</p>.<p>"Congress has become too weak to take on the BJP alone. Hence at a time when all parties need to stand together to oppose the BJP, the party's participation at the seminar is important. Even party leaders like Rahul Gandhi had shared the stage with Kerala Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan in Tamil Nadu recently. Issues between the Congress and the CPI(M) in Kerala should not come in the way of the unity of the parties to fight the BJP at the national level," he said.</p>.<p>Thomas, who was once considered as a close confident of the Gandhi family. even lamented that he could not call on Rahul Gandhi. Thomas also accused the Kerala PCC leadership of trying to keep him at gunpoint by threatening to expel him from party. He also said that he was denied the posts he deserved during party reconstitution in Kerala.</p>.<p>Kerala PCC president said that action would be taken against Thomas for flouting party discipline.</p>.<p>Thomas, who had served as union minister and a minister in Kerala, had played a key role in initiating the Food Security Act while serving as Food Minister in the second UPA government. He won elections to Lok Sabha and Kerala assembly eight times.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
