Kochi: Attempts to restructure the Congress in Kerala have reached a crucial stage with the party's state leaders meeting Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday.
Congress' Kerala chief, K Sudhakaran and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan are learned to have handed over a shortlist of the 14 District Congress Committee presidents to Rahul.
Sudhakaran said the talks went smooth and the list of the new functionaries will be finalised soon.
AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar and KPCC working presidents Kodikkunnil Suresh, P T Thomas and T Siddique also met Rahul in the national capital.
However, reports indicate that Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala – the two tall factional leaders in the state Congress – have raised their concerns over the proposed names. Last week, Chandy and Chennithala were in Delhi to pass their wishlist to the Gandhis.
In the past, restructuring of the KPCC and DCC used to mean that Chandy and Chennithala shared the top posts among their factions. However, this time the party is not keen to continue such a process.
With Sudhakaran at the helm, the state leadership has prepared a shortlist of probable DCC presidents and KPCC office-bearers.
Manorama News reported that former KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran conveyed his displeasure to Sudhakaran on Saturday for not seeking his opinion on the revamp. However, Sudhakaran has said that he consulted all senior leaders before making the list.
Rahul Gandhi is learned to have told the state leadership that the DCC presidents and other functionaries could be appointed only based on merit. He is also keen to have more youth at the helm of the district committees.
The party is hoping to finalise the list by the end of the month. The restructuring of the KPCC will begin only after that. Soon after he was appointed the KPCC president, Sudhakaran had said that the size of the state committee will be restricted to 51 members.
The high command initiated a total revamp of the party in Kerala following its debacle in the assembly polls. Chandy and Chennithala, who for the past two decades had reigned supreme in the state unit, had to sidestep as the central leadership entrusted Sudhakaran and Satheesan with the task of reviving the party's fortunes in Kerala.