Thiruvananthapuram: Top-levels Congress leaders are at loggerheads in Kerala at a time when it should be completing the organisational revamp and preparing for the Lok Sabha election next year. Such is the state of affairs that even the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Thiruvananthapuram which has a crucial role to play in organisational matters itself needs urgent reform.
There are widespread allegations that party activists managing the KPCC office don’t realize the importance of their position. They are also accused of not maintaining cordial relations with leaders in all districts.
Even the recent death of KPCC treasurer V Prathapachandran was blamed on stress related to the conduct of party affairs. Congress leaders are still engaged in heated arguments over the matter even though a complaint on this matter was withdrawn.
Another controversy involving the KPCC office was the appointment of a former Kannur district secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPM, as a staff. The appointment was put on hold as hardcore Congress leaders protested.
What precipitated the disarray
When K Sudhakaran took over as KPCC chief and V D Satheesan as Kerala’s Opposition Leader, there were only two groups in the state unit of the Congress. Both leaders had claimed that they did not belong to any group. But, soon, the two major groups became weak and numerous small groups emerged around several leaders. Currently, mutual suspicion exists in the Congress about who belongs to which group and a result confusion reigns.
Things worsened over reports that Sudhakaran had submitted his resignation to the high command and that some Members of Parliament (MPs) had sought his ouster. Finally, the state-wide tour of Shashi Tharoor, MP, and his popularity have caused further confusion among not only Congress leaders in Kerala but also grassroots workers.
Ambitious programmes announced by the state unit which later came to nothing include formation of a CUC (Congress Unit Committee), party reorganisation, party school, membership drive and collection of funds for the party.
KPCC meet next week
Meanwhile, a meeting of KPCC office-bearers will take place at 10.30 am on January 11. The programme will be held at the KPCC office. This meeting has been convened prior to the KPCC working committee meeting scheduled for January 12 which will be attended by Tariq Anwar, general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee.
