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The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) study camp held at the Congress-owned institution in Thiruvananthapuram has triggered a political controversy in Kerala. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Monday, June 29, sought an explanation from the officials in charge of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies at Neyyar Dam following the controversy.
The institute's hall was rented out for a two-day study camp of the BJP's Kattakkada Assembly constituency committee, held on June 27 and 28. The camp was inaugurated by BJP state vice-president and former IPS officer R Sreelekha.
This has drawn sharp criticism from Congress workers, who questioned how a party institution established to promote Congress ideology could be made available for a BJP programme.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] said this shows that “there is a tacit understanding between the BJP and the Congress".
Following the backlash, the KPCC has formally sought an explanation from those managing the institute. According to reports, disciplinary action is likely to be taken once the explanation is examined.
According to reports, the hall used to be rented for multiple programs, including weddings, but was not used to host programmes by other political parties.
The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies was established when Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala was the KPCC president. The institute was to serve as the Congress party's official centre for research, policy formulation and political education.
Modelled on the CPI(M)'s EMS Academy, the institute has traditionally hosted Congress leadership meetings, training camps, seminars and strategy sessions. The institute's chairperson is always the sitting KPCC president, a post currently held by Sunny Joseph.
With IANS inputs