THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid speculations that there are moves to oust K Sudhakaran from the state Congress president post, he has asserted his powers and rejected a list prepared by state Mahila Congress president Jebi Mather. It’s learned that Sudhakaran has written to national Mahila Congress president Netta D’Souza expressing anguish about not holding proper consultations with the stakeholders on the organisational revamping of state Mahila Congress.
At a time when organisational revamp of the state Congress is in limbo, the restructuring of Mahila Congress has kicked up a row in the party. At the high-powered political affairs committee meeting held on December 11 in Kochi, many senior leaders complained about Mahila Congress organisational revamping, as the process was initiated without taking them into confidence.
A senior Congress leader told TNIE that a peeved Sudhakaran conveyed his resentment to Netta D’Souza. “Sudhakaran urged Netta D’Souza that wider consultations have to be held. Also social and communal balancing should be maintained. He also recommended that a mix of experienced and fresh leaders should be included in the leadership,” said the leader. However, Jebi Mather claimed that the list has not yet been submitted as consultations are still on.
“It is the handiwork of those leaders who suspect that they have not been included in the state committee. They are behind this controversy. Currently, consultations are on with the senior leaders. The final list will be submitted to Sameena Shafeeque, general secretary, All India Mahila Congress in-charge of Kerala, who in turn will forward it to Netta D’Souza,” said Jebi Mather.
It was in early January this year that Jebi Mather took charge of the state Mahila Congress. The revamping should have been completed by November. As per the party structure, in addition to the state president, there will be three vice-presidents, 14 district presidents, 15 general secretaries, 28 secretaries and a treasurer.
‘NO DISCUSSION IN CONG ON LEADERSHIP CHANGE’
Kannur: State Congress president K Sudhakaran said there is no discussion regarding change of leadership in the state Congress now. Maintaining that he has no health issues, Sudhakaran said it is for the party to decide whether to continue with his leadership. To a query, he said the recent visit by Leader of Opposition V D Satheeshan and other leaders to New Delhi was not part of a move to oust him from the party chief’s post. “Currently, There is no talks on leadership change in Congress. If the party asks me to step down, I will. As of now, my health is perfect,” he said.
Sudhakaran also rubbished the campaign by a section in the social media that he had stepped into Rajya Sabha mistaking it for Lok Sabha. “I had gone to the Rajya Sabha to meet Union minister V Muraleedharan. The allegations are baseless,” he said.