Kozhikode: Congress MP from Vadakara Shafi Parambil expressed his displeasure during the reception accorded to the Puthuyuga Yathra led by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan in Kuttiady, after a delay in being invited to speak. Shafi was scheduled to speak before yatra captain Satheesan. However, DCC secretary Pramod Kakkattil, who was presiding over the meeting, invited Satheesan to address the gathering. Visuals show Shafi pushing Pramod aside as Satheesan was invited to speak.

Later, after Satheesan concluded his speech, when the welcome speaker approached the microphone to invite the MP, Shafi blocked him, saying, “Are you calling me only after having already invited him?” However, the speaker forcefully reached the microphone and invited Shafi to speak. Amid the commotion, senior leader Mullappally Ramachandran, who was standing nearby, fell to the ground.

Later, Shafi addressed the audience stating that he would not speak at length. Shafi concluded with a brief remark, “I say to the Leader of the Opposition, when you count beyond a hundred, do count Kuttiady as well.”

DCC president K Praveen Kumar, however, responded that there was no expression of resentment at the venue. He claimed that as the reception meeting had been delayed, Shafi had said there was no need to invite him again.

Pramod Kakkattil also acknowledged that there had been some confusion as a larger crowd than expected had turned up. “It has been decided that once the yatra captain arrives, no one else should speak thereafter. Several leaders were present on the stage. Senior leader and Kozhikode MP M K Raghavan spoke. Shafi Parambil was to speak next. As time had run late, the Leader of the Opposition was invited,” he said.