THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked the Congress state leadership to eschew overconfidence stemming from the Nilambur by-election victory, when the party takes on the CPM and BJP in the assembly elections next year.
Rahul sounded the advice while discussing the current political scenario in the state with senior leaders, including AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal and Deepa Dasmunsi, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, UDF convenor Adoor Prakash, CWC member Ramesh Chennithala, MP Rajmohan Unnithan and KPCC working president P C Vishnunadh.
Highlighting the victory of the UDF in all by-elections, Rahul said the party and leadership were now overconfident.
“It is dangerous. Everyone must let go of overconfidence and work unitedly and tirelessly. The leadership must also work realistically. The LDF government is a failure on all fronts. However, we should not underrate its organisational power. The BJP also has organisational power. Hence, the (Congress) party in Kerala should be alert. Once the local body elections are over, stage will be set for the assembly elections,” he is learnt to have told the leaders.
The discussion was held at the residence of Congress veteran A K Antony, whom Rahul visited on his way back to New Delhi. After the discussion, Rahul told the leaders that he has to have a one-on-one discussion with Antony. The meeting lasted around 20 minutes.
Later, Antony told TNIE that they discussed the overall political situation in Kerala. “We did not discuss Congress reorganisation,” he said. He also said the meeting was not important. Rahul also sought Antony’s opinion on the new KPCC leadership, to which the veteran leader replied that it was a very good team and all were hardworking leaders.
Earlier, while returning from Kottayam, Rahul visited the homes of late leaders Thennala Balakrishna Pillai and C V Padmarajan and met the families.