Kalpetta: Amid persistent factional feuds and the recent suicides of party workers, Wayanad District Congress Committee (DCC) president N D Appachan resigned from his post on Thursday.

Party sources told Onmanorama that KPCC president Sunny Joseph had asked Appachan to step down as part of the organisational revamp in the district. The crisis in the Wayanad unit had drawn national attention as it falls within Priyanka Gandhi’s constituency. The move came after discussions involving senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Sunny Joseph.

Priyanka Gandhi MP had earlier written to the KPCC expressing concern over the party’s failures in Wayanad. Even a year after the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide, the party has not been able to secure even five acres of land to build houses for survivors, despite Priyanka offering to mobilise funds. The delay has left the project a non-starter.

The party’s image took a further hit after the suicides of DCC treasurer N M Vijayan and Mullankolly panchayat member Jose Nelledam, both linked to internal disputes.

Appachan himself was appointed DCC president only after other options fell through. His predecessor, IC Balakrishnan MLA, quit following corruption allegations, while several senior leaders including K K Abraham, K L Poulose and K K Gopinathan were also embroiled in graft cases.

Factional wars between the camps led by Appachan and Balakrishnan continued to weaken the party. A recent meeting at Mullankolly even saw Appachan being manhandled. Insiders said the suicide of Jose Nelledam was directly linked to these conflicts.

The KPCC has shortlisted Meenangadi panchayat president K E Vinayan and Kalpetta municipal chairperson T J Isaac as the frontrunners for the DCC presidency. Sources said the new leader will be announced shortly.

Speaking to Onmanorama, Appachan said he had long been ready to resign. “I had completed my tenure long back, and the second round was imposed upon me,” he said. He had met Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sunny Joseph and K C Venugopal earlier this week.

The KPCC is expected to name the new Wayanad DCC president within the next few days.