Councillor’s social media post exposes infighting within Congress in Kozhikode

A social media post by K.C. Shobhita, Congress councillor representing the Malaparamba division of the Kozhikode Corporation, has kicked up a row within the party in Kozhikode. It has also brought to focus the infighting which could be fatal for the party with the Assembly elections looming in the horizon.

Ms. Shobhita’s post comes against the backdrop of the investigation report over the defeat of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary P.M. Niyas in Paroppadi division in the recent local body polls. The division was formerly represented by Ms. Shobhita and her husband was the convenor of the election committee in the division.

In her post, Ms. Shobhita has alleged that the district leadership was trying to malign and discredit her despite her stellar performance as the UDF council party leader in the previous term. She was denied the position this time, which was offered to IUML nominee S.V.S.M. Shameel Thangal. She was not even considered as the chairperson of the welfare standing committee, which the UDF has gained this time.

Ms. Shobhita alleges that the same people who “pulled the red card” when she was fighting tooth and nail against the wrong decisions of the CPI(M)-led council in the previous term are behind the “investigation drama” in Paroppadi at present. “They are not concerned about the party’s defeat in other wards, which could be attributed to some ‘eminent’ leaders,” she said. She alleged that she and her family were being targeted in the name of the investigation, that there were attempts to isolate and oust her from the party, and that she would fight against any such attempts, as she holds her current position by her own right.

Meanwhile, District Congress Committee president K. Praveen Kumar said he has sought an explanation from Ms. Shobhita regarding her social media post. “The report she mentions is still in my possession, and no one other than me and the investigators know its contents. She needs to explain her assumptions,” he said.