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Uneasy calm in faction-ridden Cong in Kerala as PCC list is ready
Unlike the announcement of the District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents’ list, which created a rift between the senior leaders and many quitting Congress in the aftermath, president K Sudhakaran said the list will be prepared after much deliberation.
Unsettling silence prevails over faction-ridden Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee as the party high command is expected to clear the state’s office bearers list soon.
Unlike the announcement of the District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents’ list, which created a rift between the senior leaders and many quitting Congress in the aftermath, president K Sudhakaran said the list will be prepared after much deliberation.
“The new list will be lean and mean. It will be a mix of young and experienced. After the new DCC presidents’ elevation, changes are visible on the ground. We will transform the party as a well-oiled machine and make it battle-ready,” said Sudhakaran, denying chances of another revolt in the party. He said he had extensive talks with senior leaders before finalising the list.
Currently, the party has 100-odd secretaries, vice presidents, and other office-bearers in Kerala Congress. However, Sudhkaran said the new PCC committee will have only 50 members and their work will be monitored closely. He also said he’s planning to transform the party into a semi-cadre outfit, and hard work and organising capacity would be the main criteria for leaders. Recently, the party had conducted a workshop for the new DCC presidents in the state capital.
There were enough fireworks when the DCC presidents were announced in August. There was a spate of resignations and disciplinary actions. Sulking former state president V M Sudheeran had resigned from all party posts, including the membership of the All India Congress Committee. And senior leaders like Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala aired their displeasure in public.
The party was forced to undergo a major revamp after the humiliating defeat in the April assembly elections. It decided to clip the wings of powerful groups by installing a new crop of leaders. It appointed K Sudhakaran, a tough leader from Communist heartland Kannur as the PCC president and another grassroots’ leader V D Satheesan as the opposition leader, sidelining two powerful blocs led by former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, who ruled the party for more than one and a half-decade.
Many see it as a major generational shift, but faction leaders refuse to buy it, saying it is difficult for the party to surge ahead by sidelining senior leaders like Chandy and Chennithala. The party has rallied behind the new leadership and supported its moves to impose discipline in the party. Two days back, the party had issued show-cause notices to 97 leaders for their alleged lapses during the assembly elections.
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