Decision to field Jebi Mather for RS seat after talks, says Satheesan

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Saturday said that discussions with State Congress leaders were held by the party’s central leadership before finalising the Congress candidate, Jebi Mather, for the Rajya Sabha.

“It is after a gap of 42 years that a woman is being sent to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala. The party also heeded to criticism that it was not giving due importance to women in parliamentary roles. There was also a suggestion to give priority to the youth,” Mr. Satheesan said here.

On protests against the SilverLine semi-high speed rail project, he said while the CPI(M) had organised several protests, they resorted to violence, but the protests against SilverLine were not so. The CPI(M) was scared, as the anti-SilverLine protests saw huge participation of women and children. “If the CPI(M) tries to quell the protests, as it had done in Nandigram in West Bengal, the fate of the party in that State will repeat in Kerala as well,” he said.

Mr. Satheesan said the UDF opposed the project on the basis of studies and a clear understanding of how it would affect the environment. The project would also wreck Kerala economically and socially. He criticised the government for going ahead with the project without even conducting a basic soil test.