THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state Congress list of office bearers which was to be pruned and announced after the visit of AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik to the state is now put on hold indefinitely as the party group managers scuttled the visit by putting pressure on AICC. The state Congress leadership had passed on a jumbo list of office bearers exceeding hundred in number to New Delhi irking AICC president Sonia Gandhi.
TNIE had earlier reported that Sonia had called upon the senior state leaders of the party to shrink the list of office bearers. An agreement was reached between Congress leaders cutting across group affiliations for the arrival of AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Mukul Wasnik for finalizing a new pruned list of office bearers with proper inputs from grass root leadership.
“While Mukul was to arrive in the state this week, party group managers scuttled the move as they knew clearly that the feedback will not be to their liking. This move will now lead to an indefinite hold of the list making matters worse for the party,” a senior party leader told TNIE. However with the party list getting delayed, the big three of the state Congress had opted for another plan with ten posts for “I” group, ten posts for “A” group and five posts for leaders without group affiliations. The leadership does not want secretaries in this group based sharing of party posts with only vice presidents and general secretaries and a treasurer included.”
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran has already communicated this proposal to both Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala and is waiting for their response on the same. If a broader agreement is reached on this proposal, party may go ahead with this list,” a senior party functionary told TNIE.
Party grass root leaders are opposed to this idea of announcing such a pruned list of office bearers without a proper feedback from the local level leaders.
Leaders are of the opinion that scuttling Mukul Wasnik’s visit to the state was a planned move to hastily announce the pruned list. The district congress committees (DCC’s ) have also completed their three-year tenure on Monday and this is another major factor to be taken up by the party leadership.
“DCC’s are the base of the party and with the completion of their term, it is necessary to form new committees. However without the KPCC list in place, the formation of new DCC committees is out of question and this will lead to total stagnation of party work,” a party leader told TNIE.
Differences within party
Leaders are of the opinion that scuttling Mukul Wasnik’s visit was a planned move to hastily announce the pruned list. “The move will lead to an indefinite hold of the list making matters worse for the party,” a senior party leader said.