K V Thomas 'rewarded' by Kerala CPM govt, sent to Delhi

Former Congress leader K V Thomas has been posted by the CPM government in Kerala as its special representative in New Delhi with cabinet rank.

The posting could be considered as a reward by the CPM as Thomas caused much embarrassment to the Congress by attending an election campaign for the CPM in the Thrikkakkara by-poll at Kochi in last May. He had also attended a seminar organised as part of the CPM party congress in Kannur defying Congress leadership's directive.

The state cabinet meeting on Thursday decided to appoint Thomas as special representative in Delhi with cabinet rank. He can enjoy all benefits like personal staff members.

Thomas told DH that he had not yet joined the CPM and had no plans to join the party in future also. He also claimed that he still continued to be an AICC member as he was not formally removed by the AICC.

Thomas, who was a former union minister of state and MP and MLA for several times, was learnt to be unhappy over denying key posts in the party.

Thomas was initially removed from posts in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee in April last year after he took part in a seminar organised as part of CPM party congress at Kannur. After he took part in CPM's election campaign in May Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran informed that Thomas was expelled from the party and the decision was taken with AICC's nod.

The fresh appointment at the time of acute financial crunches being faced by the government has triggered widespread criticism. Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress said that Thomas was appointed for liasoning between the CPM and the Sangh Parivar outfits.