THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress is facing an organisational challenge after a large contingent of party leaders holding key positions entered the electoral fray triggering unease within the party and rising questions over internal balance.
Those contesting include KPCC president, two of the three working presidents, state organisational general secretary, eight district Congress committee (DCC) presidents, KPCC vice president, general secretaries, marking a significant overlap between organisational responsibilities and electoral ambitions.
“After KPCC president Sunny Joseph, working presidents AP Anil Kumar and PC Vishnunath entered the fray, a vacuum was formed at the top of the organisation to take decisive decisions,” said a senior leader.
Though the high command has asked the organisational general secretary, Neyyattinkara Sanal, to stay away from parliamentary politics at the time of his appointment, his opponents allege that he used his position to secure a party ticket.
It has also been alleged that the high command's intervention to make necessary arrangements came only five days after the final candidate list was announced.
Though there was an attempt to give the working president Shafi Parambil MP, with the charge of the KPCC president at the last moment, a four-member committee was appointed on Monday evening, much to the disappointment of Shafi. According to the leadership this committee - consisting of vice president Palode Ravi, general secretaries MA Vahid, Manacaud Suresh and Mariyapuram Sreekumar - will carry out the day-to-day activities of the KPCC office.
However, the leadership is yet to find substitutes for the eight DCC presidents who are contesting the polls. These are Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Malappuram, Palakkad, Wayanad and Kozhikode.
Party sources said that in four of these districts, Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad, Kozhikode, the Congress is facing a do or die situation.
In addition, around 14 KPCC general secretaries and several vice presidents and KPCC secretaries are also in the fray who have been in charge of key constituencies and districts.
Congress insiders argue that leaders entrusted with crucial organisational roles have been granted tickets. Though the leadership claims that alternative arrangements have been made, the development has sparked strong resentment among party workers.