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Congress leader Sudheeran quits AICC, days after resigning from pac in Kerala
Sudheeran’s announcement came in the wake of his scheduled meeting with AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar who rushed to the state to sort out problems arising out of the recent elevation of a new set of state and district leaders.
Two days after he quit the party’s political affairs committee (PAC), sulking Congress leader V M Sudheeran on Monday announced his resignation from the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the second-highest decision-making body of the party after the Congress Working Committee.
His announcement came in the wake of his scheduled meeting with AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar who rushed to the state to sort out problems arising out of the recent elevation of a new set of state and district leaders.
While Sudheeran, former PCC chief and five-time MP, did not disclose reasons behind his sudden decision leaders close to him said he was not happy with the functioning of new PCC chief K Sudhakaran and opposition leader V D Satheesan.
There are complaints that decisions are taken unanimously, and senior leaders are often ignored. But the PCC chief said Sudheeran was consulted before announcing the DCC list. Hectic efforts are on to placate the senior leader, and Anwar is expected to call on him in the evening. Former CM Oommen Chandy and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala also termed his resignation unfortunate and asked the party leaders to talk to him.
Known for his clean image he quit the PCC chief’s post after the party’s rout in the 2016 assembly elections. But there are allegations against him that he forced then CM Chandy to take some unpopular decisions like the new liquor policy.
Firework started in the faction-ridden party with the appointment of new party president K Sudhakaran, a tough leader from Communist heartland Kannur and opposition leader V D Satheesan, sidelining two powerful blocs led by former CM Oommen Chandy and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala who ruled the party for more than one and a half-decade. Problems aggravated after the DCC presidents’ list was released last month.
Now the party has 150-odd secretaries, and many other office-bearers and the PCC chief made it clear that all new party bodies would be lean and mean. To protect group equations earlier leaders filled maximum posts with their supporters, and often the party took backstage with the rise of powerful groups. And those who were not part of these factions were ignored.
Many see it as a major generational shift, but group leaders refuse to buy it, saying it is difficult for the party to surge ahead by sidelining two senior leaders and their followers. After the public display of anger, three senior leaders have quit the party, A V Gopinath, K P Anil Kumar, and PS Prashanth. The last two later joined the ruling CPI(M).
