Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi praised the Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS) summit on Wednesday, much to the embarrassment of opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) led by his party, which boycotted the event hosted by the state government to bring Keralaites living across the world on one platform.
In a letter dated December 12, Gandhi, an MP from Wayanad, lauded the gathering, calling it a “great platform” to connect with the Indian diaspora.
"I congratulate the members of the Malayalee diaspora for their phenomenal success, and for being worthy ambassadors of the State. The Loka Kerala Sabha is a great platform to connect with the diaspora, and recognise their contribution," the Congress leader says in the letter.
The official Twitter handle of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted Gandhi's letter on Thursday.
Thank you Shri. Rahul Gandhi for your warm greetings to the Loka Kerala Sabha (@LokaKeralaSabha). In his message, @RahulGandhi opined that "the Loka Kerala Sabha is a great platform to connect with the diaspora, and recognize their contribution." pic.twitter.com/3G4KYMSllc— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) January 2, 2020
Gandhi's praise comes at a time when no other leader from the opposition parties in the state has spoken or written anything in favour of the meet.
BJP leader and minister of state for external affairs, V Muraleedharan, was the chief guest of the event but he, too, chose not to participate in it.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala had quit as the LKS vice-president in June 2019 to protest against the suicide of two c businessmen, Sajan Parayil from Kannur and Sugathan from Punalur. The two were allegedly denied administrative clearance from the side of government for their expensive constructions.
The Opposition was also irked over the expenditure on renovating the venue of the Loka Kerala Sabha, the R. Sankara Narayanan Thampi Hall, in the Kerala Legislative Assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram.
One of the largest convergence of NRI business people from Kerala, the Loka Kerala Sabha has participants from across 47 countries. The second edition of the three-day meet concludes on Friday.
Despite drawing flak for the letter, All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal explained that there is nothing political in the word of appreciation sent by Gandhi.
"The UDF decision to boycott LKS came after the letter was sent. Rahul Gandhi was responding politely to a letter from the Chief Minister," Venugopal said in Thrissur.
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