Vande Bharat row: Low-level political games seen in Kerala, says Cong MP

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP K Muraleedharan on Monday came out with scathing criticism against the ruling BJP at the Centre for the allegedly "low-level political games" seen during the inaugural run of the second Vande Bharat Express allocated to Kerala.

The Congress leader said the inaugural run of the train felt more like an election campaign of Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan as it stopped for much more than the mandated time of two minutes at every station where the BJP leader got out to greet party workers and supporters.

"At Alappuzha the train stopped for almost half-anhour, the BJP workers and supporters forcefully hit the windows of the train and got inside the executive coach carrying party flags," Muraleedharan told reporters.

All this was being enjoyed by the MoS as if it was some big deal, he added. "What is the point of shouting party slogans inside the train when only special invitees were travelling and not the general public?" he asked.

Besides that, the local MLA from Kasaragod was not allowed to speak at the event held there prior to flagging off the train by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an online ceremony, the Congress MP said.

"What was the harm in him (the local MLA) saying a few words? If the PM was going to be present in person, then it is not allowed. But that reason cannot be given when it was an online inauguration," he said.

Muraleedharan, who travelled on the train from Thalassery to Trivandrum, said that this "low-level political game began from there and continued all the way to the end of the train's run".

"I kept quiet and did not say anything as I thought let them (BJP) atleast welcome a train in Kerala as they are unable to welcome an MP or MLA from here," he said.

At the same time, the Congress leader also said that such acts should not be repeated in future, failing which the party would organise strong protests against the same.

He said that presently the Congress was not organising a protest against such conduct as it does not want its actions to result in denial of such trains to Kerala in future. (PTI)