Congress leaders oppose party MP's private bill for Kochi as Kerala capital

Thiruvananthapuram, July 2 Congress leaders in Kerala on Sunday strongly came out against the party's Ernakulam MP, Hibi Eden's private member's bill suggesting Kochi be the state capital instead of Thiruvananthapuram.

Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheeshan said that Congress has never discussed such a subject.

He also said that the MP had moved the bill without consulting the party and added that the party had asked him withdraw the bill.

After Eden moved the private member's bill in parliament, the Union Home Ministry sought the opinion of the Kerala government.

However the state government rejected the demand, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan noting in the file that the demand was impractical and hence, was being rejected.

Satheeshan, while speaking to media persons at Kochi, said: “Hibi is like my younger brother and when I noticed the news, I had immediately contacted him and told him about the party’s dissatisfaction on this. This is not the decision of the party. He has moved a private member's bill and party has asked him to withdraw the bill with immediate effect.”

He said that he was also from Kochi but never had the urge to make it the capital city and added that Thiruvananthapuram was a good capital city for Kerala.

Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Dr. Shashi Tharoor also told media persons that there was no need for such a demand.

Vadakara MP K. Muraleedharan said that the demand of Eden has to be rejected outright, and reiterated that Thiruvananthapuram was a good place to be the capital of the state.

He asked whether he could demand Vadakara as the capital of Kerala, adding that these were all immature suggestions.

Several other senior state Congress leaders came out strongly against the demand of Eden.

Meanwhile, Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeev told media persons that the demand of Eden is an indication that he was the candidate for Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat again.