KOTTAYAM: Lashing out at the ‘outrageous’ manner in which top Congress leaders treated him, P C George MLA announced his decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Pathanamthitta seat. According to him, the formal announcement in this regard will be made in Kottayam on Tuesday.
“I feel cheated. Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and Oommen Chandy came to me and requested me not to file nomination as a candidate for the LS polls from Pathanamthitta. It was understood that the UDF wants to have some sort of understanding with the Kerala Janapaksham party. However, after I gave them a note stating that I won’t be filing my nomination for Pathanamthitta LS seat, these leaders seem to have vanished into thin air,” he said.
According to George, “This was an underhand dealing. So, my party decided I should change my earlier decision not to contest. I also want to make it clear that we will be happy to receive the backing of any party or alliance. If any party supports us we will support their candidates in the remaining 19 LS seats in Kerala”. “We have a strong presence in Kerala and the votes of our supporters will prove crucial in deciding the outcome in the other LS seats,” he said.
George said his poll manifesto will revolve around Sabarimala. “We have been hearing about Sabari Rail route for a quite sometime now. But the work has come to a standstill, with the tracks ending at Kalady. Nothing is being done to complete the railway route. If the railway route is finished, the pilgrims will not encounter any hassles,” he said.
On his victory prospects, George said, “You are aware of my victory margin in the last Assembly elections. So, I have no worries on that front.”Chennithala refuted George’s allegations the Congress had cheated him. “Yes, we had talked about his candidature from Pathanamthitta. But, we never promised him anything. How could we have promised him a place in UDF without discussing the issue with the allies?” he said.