THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader Palode Ravi stepped down as Thiruvananthapuram DCC president on Saturday after a leaked telephone conversation — in which he ‘predicted’ a consecutive third term for the CPM and total doom for his party — put the Congress in a tight spot.
The party leadership, which held detailed discussions at different levels, came to the conclusion that with back-to-back elections coming up and considering the embarrassment the party suffered after the audio clip surfaced, Ravi’s resignation would be the only possible damage control measure.
The state leadership, which also consulted the AICC leadership, conveyed the decision to Ravi later in the evening, following which he resigned. No other leader has been given the DCC president charge for the time being.
In the leaked phone conversation with a local party leader, which surfaced on Saturday morning, Ravi is heard saying that after the local body and assembly elections, the Congress party will perish in Kerala. The ex-deputy speaker is also heard saying that the Congress will finish third in the upcoming local body polls.
“Similarly, in the next assembly elections, the party will fall flat. You wait and see what the BJP is going to do in 60 assembly constituencies. Like in the Parliamentary elections, they will buy votes with money. The Congress will be relegated to third place, and the Marxist party will continue in power. This is what is going to happen in Kerala. The Congress will perish after this. Muslims who are now with us will shift their allegiance to the Left and other parties. The rest will shift to the BJP and other parties. Congress will become a party which is of no use to anyone,” he is heard saying in the around eight-minute-long clip.
The party leadership also took action against the local leader with whom Ravi spoke. KPCC president Sunny Joseph said Vamanapuram block general secretary A Jaleel has been expelled from party for “anti-party activities”.
Leaked phone call embarrasses party
After the audio clip triggered a controversy, Ravi claimed that he had only asked the worker to be more careful. But the KPCC leadership took serious note of it and conveyed its concerns to the high command.
Party state president Sunny Joseph consulted the central leadership and senior leaders in the state, including Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. After assessing the situation, the leadership felt that the BJP and the CPM would pounce on Ravi’s audio clip for political gains, and that immediate action was needed to prevent further damage.
Ravi’s ‘prediction’ of a third term for the Marxist party, just months away from the assembly elections next year, has put the Congress on the defensive. At a time when the Congress leadership claims it will win 100 seats, the leaked conversation has put the party in an embarrassing situation.
Meanwhile, Congress sources told TNIE that the surfaced audio clip was recorded around April. Though the leaked audio triggered criticism against Ravi’s controversial remarks, leaders remain tight-lipped, given the coming organisational reorganisation.
“Everyone wants something during reorganisation,” a veteran Congress leader told TNIE. “Though Ravi was a former A group leader, his allegiance now lies with V D Satheesan. Hence, no one wants to be blacklisted,” he said.
This is not the first time Ravi has courted controversy. In March 2024, he rendered an incorrect version of the national anthem at a public function. In the 2019 Parliament election, party candidate in Attingal, Adoor Prakash, had reportedly criticised Ravi for a lack of support during party meetings.
Soon after the video came out, Ravi claimed that he had only asked the worker to be more careful. Speaking to reporters, he said the DCC has always imparted the message to work as a team and to connect with the masses.
“People want a change in governance. I am a senior Congress leader, and allegations that I colluded with political opponents are baseless. We were asking workers to be cautious as the BJP is also in the election fray,” he said.