<p>In an embarrassment to the party leaders in Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi skipped the inauguration of a memorial for freedom fighters in Thiruvananthapuram.</p>.<p>Memorials for freedom fighters K E Mammen and P Gopinathan Nair were set up at the NIMS Hospital premises near Neyyatinkara on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.</p>.<p>The organisers had allegedly informed that Gandhi would be inaugurating it on Sunday.</p>.<p>But even as Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra passed through the locality he did not turn up for the inauguration of the memorial.</p>.<p>This led to controversy as families and friends of both the Gandhians, including the wife of late Gopinathan Nair, were waiting at the hospital premises for the function.</p>.<p>The function was attended by several Kerala Congress leaders including Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran, and Shashi Tharoor.</p>.<p>Sudhakaran later apologised for the goof-up and promised the NIMS Managing Director that a separate function would be organised for the inauguration.</p>.<p>MP Shashi Tharoor criticised Gandhi for skipping the event, saying: "Such things affect the credibility."</p>.<p>The reason for Rahul not turning up for the event was however not yet known.</p>.<p><em>(With IANS inputs)</em></p>
<p>In an embarrassment to the party leaders in Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi skipped the inauguration of a memorial for freedom fighters in Thiruvananthapuram.</p>.<p>Memorials for freedom fighters K E Mammen and P Gopinathan Nair were set up at the NIMS Hospital premises near Neyyatinkara on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.</p>.<p>The organisers had allegedly informed that Gandhi would be inaugurating it on Sunday.</p>.<p>But even as Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra passed through the locality he did not turn up for the inauguration of the memorial.</p>.<p>This led to controversy as families and friends of both the Gandhians, including the wife of late Gopinathan Nair, were waiting at the hospital premises for the function.</p>.<p>The function was attended by several Kerala Congress leaders including Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran, and Shashi Tharoor.</p>.<p>Sudhakaran later apologised for the goof-up and promised the NIMS Managing Director that a separate function would be organised for the inauguration.</p>.<p>MP Shashi Tharoor criticised Gandhi for skipping the event, saying: "Such things affect the credibility."</p>.<p>The reason for Rahul not turning up for the event was however not yet known.</p>.<p><em>(With IANS inputs)</em></p>