Malappuram: Senior CPI-M leader and Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener, A Vijayaraghavan, courted controversy on Monday for allegedly making sexist remarks against Ramya Haridas, the Congress’ candidate from Alathur Lok Sabha constituency.
Addressing the LDF poll convention in Ponnani in Malappuram, which was also attended by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the party leader, referring to Haridas, said, “The girl who is contesting from Alathur had visited PK Kunhalikutty recently. I don’t know what will happen to her now.” He was making an indirect reference to the ice cream parlour sex racket case, in which Kunhalikutty was named, but he was later cleared by various courts.
The senior CPM leader has been under fire ever since, and was strongly condemned by leaders from across the political spectrum, including the Congress and IUML, among others.
In a video of the rally gone viral on social media, Vijayaraghavan can be heard making derogatory statements about Haridas. “Other Congress members were visiting Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) representatives at Panakkad before filing nominations but the candidate from Alathur visited PK Kunhalikutty at his residence,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, Haridas said that she is hurt by the leader’s remarks and will file a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) and the police against Vijayaraghavan.
Vijayaraghavan, who had been elected once to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha, was appointed LDF convener in July last year.
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