P.C. George told to toe party line
A day after his expression of discontent regarding the rejection of his candidacy for the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday successfully persuaded P.C. George to toe the party line.
The resolution came swiftly after Anil Antony, BJP’s candidate for Pathanamthitta, visited Mr. George at his residence in Poonjar, seeking his blessings. Mr. George warmly received Mr. Antony.
Following a brief discussion, both leaders jointly addressed the media, dismissing the reports of a rift between them. Mr. George, however, mentioned that the party candidate might not garner the same level of support from Christian bishops as he would have.
He promised efforts to secure their backing for Mr. Antony. “I am working to sort it out,” Mr. George stated. “We will show you how we are going to win this seat,” he added.
Campaign plans
Asked about his campaign plans to introduce the party candidate to voters in the constituency, Mr. George replied that he would focus on areas where his presence was deemed necessary. Mr. Antony, on his part, expressed delight at initiating the election campaign with the blessings of Mr. George. Party sources revealed that Mr. Antony’s meeting with the disgruntled leader was directed by the BJP national leadership.
Earlier, Mr. George had criticised Mr. Antony for lacking local connections in Pathanamthitta.
Reacting to the episode, BJP State president K. Surendran reminded Mr. George of the importance of choosing words carefully. Mr. George had been vying for a ticket in Pathanamthitta.