The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Keralam reflected the party’s “democratic” functioning, according to party functionaries who participated in the meeting, as they asserted that the leadership was not imposing any decision on its members.
Speaking after the CLP meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, Congress MLA Jebi Mather said the party was consulting MLAs and senior leaders individually before the high command takes a final call.
“This is an example of how democratic the Congress party is. No decision is being imposed on anyone. The CLP meeting took place, and then meetings with MLAs individually. Let MLAs and senior leaders give feedback, and the party high command take a decision which will be accepted by all,” she told ANI.
Referring to the party’s recent electoral success, the Congress MP said, “We were waiting for this beautiful victory, and the decision will also be beautiful.”
Mather also attacked the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, alleging that the alliance lacked leadership beyond Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
“LDF is running short of leaders. After Pinarayi Vijayan, they don't know who should be the Opposition leader. But we have a galaxy of leaders. While in the Left front, there is a dictatorship,” she said.
The CLP meeting assumes significance as the Congress leadership has begun consultations to decide the Chief Ministerial face in Keralam after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a decisive mandate in the Assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, senior Keralam Congress leaders, including VD Satheesan, K Suresh and Deepa Dasmunshi, arrived at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram to meet the party’s two observers.
Congress MP K Suresh said the appointment of observers after elections was a standard practice followed by the Congress high command.
“This is a part of the process by the Congress high command. Every election, whether Congress gets a majority or not, the high command sends observers for selecting and electing the CLP leader,” Suresh told reporters.
He said Mukul Wasnik’s previous experience as Keralam in-charge and Ajay Maken’s senior organisational role made them well suited to assess the political situation in the state.
“After their evaluation with the various newly elected MLAs, they will send a report to the high command. Based on their report, and after the high command talks to senior leaders, they will take an appropriate decision,” Suresh said.
The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member Keralam Assembly, ending the decade-long rule of the Left Democratic Front. Congress emerged as the single-largest party in the alliance with 63 seats, while its ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), secured 22 seats.
