THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an apparent setback for state Congress chief K Sudhakaran, the party high command has stalled his move for an immediate organisational revamp of the party in Kerala.
“Party leaders as well as workers are in a holiday mood now after hectic electioneering lasting over a month. The national leadership is of the view that party revamp can wait, and senior leaders agreed to it,” KPCC general secretary (organisation) T U Radhakrishnan told TNIE on Tuesday.
The entire process can be set rolling once the election results are out on June 4, Radhakrishnan said.
After resuming charge as the KPCC chief recently, Sudhakaran, who is the Congress candidate from Kannur Lok Sabha constituency, has taken upon himself the task of organisational revamp, which is long overdue. He had called a meeting of state office bearers and district Congress committee presidents at Indira Bhavan on Thursday. District leadership of the party have been reportedly directed to prepare a list of names to be considered for the revamp.
Till now, the practice was that Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan would jointly ask for the lists from DCCs as well as factions within the party. On receipt of the list, both leaders would sit together and finalise the names. But now Sudhakaran is keen to get rid of any outside intervention, including that of Satheesan.
A senior Congress leader attributed Sudhakaran’s stubborn stand to the “deliberate” leaking of an audio in which Satheesan questioned him on the funds received for the Lok Sabha elections. “Sudhakaran was cast in bad light which led to uncertainty over him resuming the role of party chief. He is annoyed at this, and has decided to take up tasks, including orgnaisation revamp, single-handedly,” the senior leader said.