IDUKKI: S Rajendran became a candidate in Devikulam not because he was a Brahmin. Instead, he was nominated as candidate because he belonged to the SC category, said senior CPM leader and former power minister M M Mani. Mani was responding to Rajendran’s allegation that it was the party which highlighted the caste issue during the assembly election to Devikulam seat but not him.
“Devikulam being a reservation seat how a candidate could be fixed without considering his caste?,” Mani asked.
“Rajendran belonged to a Scheduled Caste and if the party did not consider his caste, he would not have been selected as a candidate there. The party considered him on the basis of caste and he enjoyed the benefits of being an MLA three times,” Mani added.
“If Rajendran convenes a press meet, the situation will be worse. If he reveals more, then the party will reveal further details. Rajendran can decide whether it is needed or not,” he said.
Earlier, responding to an official release by the party, Rajendran had said that it was not him who highlighted the caste factor in Devikulam during the poll but it was the CPM and some party leaders who raised it.
In an official release issued by CPM Idukki district secretary CV Varghese, which officially announced Rajendran’s suspension from party’s primary membership, it was stated that he had spread a message in his influential areas that the UDF candidate was a ‘Madras Parayan’ and the LDF candidate was a ‘Tirunelveli Parayan’.
Meanwhile, Rajendran, who said two days ago that he will reveal more details on the matter through a press meet, is yet to hold a press meet.
