Thiruvananthapuram: The surprise announcement made by K Sudhakaran, the president of the Kerala unit of the Congress, expressing his willingness to resign from the post after he was arrested in a cheating case involving fake antiques dealer Monson Mavunkal, has apparently united the party in the state.
The Congress leadership considers the move against its state president as an attack on the party itself. The ‘A’ group of the party has instructed its leaders not to target Sudhakaran.
The Congress will continue its protests against Sudhakaran’s arrest and stick to its argument that he was being framed as the government could not counter the allegations of corruption against it.
Incidentally, Sudhakaran had not consulted anyone any the party before making the announcement to reporters and the leadership was shocked over the development. Subsequently, Tariq Anwar, all-India general secretary of the party, contacted Sudhakaran and told him that this was not the time to resign. Anwar also asked Sudhakaran to heed to the wishes of party leaders from the state and Centre to continue in his post.
Meanwhile, some political observers feel that Sudhakaran’s announcement was a smart move to unite the party under him. However, people close to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president said that he was anxious over the adverse impact of his arrest on the party. He had expressed the wish to quit from the party post as a damage-control measure, they explained.
Later, Sudhakaran said that the issue of his resignation was a closed chapter as all sections of the Congress had opposed the move.
Sudhakaran mulls approaching HC
As part of the efforts to deal with the legal challenge following his arrest, Sudhakaran is planning to approach the High Court against the charge-sheet filed by the Crime Branch naming him as an accused. According to Sudhakaran, the Crime Branch’s charges would not stand the scrutiny of the law.
It is also learnt that the Crime Branch had questioned Sudhakaran over a case in which Monson was convicted under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act and the KPCC chief responded in a furious manner. He reportedly asked the police whether he was summoned in a cheating or POCSO case.
Political observers said this indicated that the police were continuing to explore options to charge him in the POCSO case too. Official sources also said that the Chief Minister has received yet another complaint against the KPCC chief.
On the other hand, the CPM leadership considers the announcement by Sudhakaran to quit as a move to check opposition to him within the Congress. The CPM also feels that it would soon be revealed that the allegation of the Congress that the case against Sudhakaran was politically motivated had no basis.
