The Congress leadership’s decision to “gift” a Rajya Sabha seat to ally Kerala Congress (Mani) has not gone down well with some people, with an advertisement announcing the sale of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee’s office appearing on online marketing website OLX.

The decision to give away the seat being vacated by its veteran leader PJ Kurien has upset the party’s workers in Kerala, with several senior leaders urging the central leadership to review the decision.

The advertisement, posted by a user identified as Aniesh, has set the price for Indira Bhavan in Sasthamangalam area of Thiruvananthapuram at Rs 10,000. The post says the property is ready-to-move-in and has asked interested buyers to contact the Indian Union Muslim League or Kerala Congress (Mani).

The post appears to be a jibe at what is perceived to be the party’s appeasement policy. The Rahul Gandhi-led party decided to forfeit the seat in favour of the Kerala Congress (Mani), which returned to the United Democratic Fund coalition after a gap of two years. The Kerala Congress (M) has fielded Jose K Mani, the son of party chief KM Mani, for the seat. Several Congress leaders have opposed the decision, arguing that the seat should have gone to one of the so party’s senior leaders in the state.

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At least six MLAs have expressed their opposition in a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi. “I do express my utmost disappointment and strongest protest on the Kerala leaders’ decision to give away our Rajya Sabha seat to the Kerala Congress (M) party, who are not even a constituent of the UDF in Kerala as of now,” Congress MLA VT Balram wrote, according to The News Minute.

Balram added: “This has betrayed the sentiments of the ordinary Congress workers in Kerala and is a huge humiliation of their spirits. I, therefore, urge all those leaders to reconsider this catastrophic decision at the earliest and field a Congress candidate itself for the ensuing election.”