Last week, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu had accused Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, MLA, of endeavouring to claw back his "bygone organisational import" from the incumbent leadership of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) by disparaging the government relentlessly in an, arguably, vain bid to hog the political limelight.
Ms. Bindu's acerbic remark came soon after the Kerala Lok Ayukta had discharged her of the corruption charges raised by Mr. Chennithala. The former Opposition leader had accused Ms. Bindu of "pressurising" Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to extend the Kannur University Vice Chancellor's tenure beyond the retirement age.
Seemingly buoyed by the Lok Ayukta's exoneration, Ms. Bindu alleged that Mr. Chennithala was trying to be one up on his party peers.
