india

Updated: Jun 05, 2019 21:16 IST

Just a day after senior Congress leader in Kerala, Abdullakutty, was expelled from the party for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, another party leader ended up praising the BJP-led central government.

On Tuesday, newly elected Congress Lok Sabha MP H Vasanthakumar had praised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for rescuing 20 Tamil Nadu fishermen who were stranded in the mid sea near Lakshwadeep. His praise has not gone down well with his fellow Congressmen.

Vasanthakumar, MP-elect from Kanyakumari, is a well known face in the state as he owns Vasanth & Co one of the largest retail home appliance chain of stores in South India. He is also the Managing Director of Vasanth TV, unofficially considered to be the Congress’s mouthpiece in the state.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Vasanthakumar had done a giant killing act by defeating union minister of state for finance Pon Radhakrishnan from the Kanyakumari seat by a margin of more than 2.5 lakh votes.

On Saturday, Vasanthakumar had written a letter to the union government with a plea to help 20 fishermen stuck in mid-sea since last week. The fishermen were on their way to Cochin harbour, but as their boat engines failed they found themselves stranded in between Cochin and Lakshadweep.

It was then that Vasanthakumar had dashed off an urgent missive to the union government seeking assistance. Within 48 hours, the union government directed the Indian Coast Guard to save the fishermen and all of them were brought to the shores safely.

Post their rescue, Vasanthakumar appreciated the prompt and quick action of union government. However, this did not go down well with a section of partymen who questioned the new MP praising the opposite camp.

Speaking to HT, Vasanthakumar said he is not friendly with BJP. “Since I wrote a letter requesting that the stranded fishermen be rescued, I just expressed a gesture of gratitude (to the Union government) for bringing the fishermen to their own hamlets. Therefore, I just thanked the government for the timely action,” said the new MP.

However, S Vijayadharani, a Congress MLA, elected from Vilavancode assembly constituency and General Secretary for All India Mahila Congress, said it was not right for Vasanthakumar to praise the BJP government.

“It is the responsibility of the government to save every citizen. I did not hear what exactly Vasanthakumar has said. If he has gone beyond the limit in praising the BJP, it is wrong. Since his neice Tamilisai Soundararajan is BJP’s state chief for Tamil Nadu, it might be misinterpreted and he needs to be careful,” the legislator told HT.