Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 2 (IANS): A Congress leader from Alappuzha in Kerala is in a spot after inaugurating a fund collection drive for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The fundraising drive is from January 30 to February 28 and RSS workers have been actively meeting people from various sections of society for raising funds.

Raghunathan Pillai, vice president of the Alappuzha District Congress Committee had inaugurated the Ram temple fund collection drive at Kadavil Temple in Alappuzha by handing over the donation to the temple chief priest. Senior Congress leaders and workers have come out against Pillai.

CPM state secretary A Vijayaraghavan while speaking to IANS, said "The Congress and the RSS-BJP combine have always worked liked Siamese twins in Kerala and this is no surprise for the political workers of Kerala. Several Congress leaders have been doing the same always and Congress does not have any right to speak about secularism after doing this".

Pillai however said that internal rivalry in the Congress is the reason for this controversy and added that he had inaugurated the programme as president of the Pallipuram Pattarya Samajam and that his public life is open to all.

KPCC general secretary A.A. Shukoor also defended Pillai. Shukoor said, "Pillai is a true believer and he had inaugurated the function as president of the Samajam and there is no need to rake up controversy on this. Raghunathan Pillai is a highly secular person and has always opposed the RSS. The controversy is unnecessary."