Congress chief proposal: Smaller committees, semi-cadre setup

The KPCC will have 51 members including the president, three working presidents, vice-presidents, 15 general secretaries and a treasurer.
For representational purposes (File Photo | PTI)
For representational purposes (File Photo | PTI)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Determined to become disciplined and organised, the Congress party, at its political affairs committee (PAC) meeting on Wednesday, approved new president K Sudhakaran’s proposal to replace the jumbo committees at the state and district levels with smaller but efficient panels.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and district committees will be reconstituted in three months.

The KPCC will have 51 members including the president, three working presidents, vice-presidents, 15 general secretaries and a treasurer. The secretaries will not be members of the KPCC executive but would be invitees to its meetings. Ten per cent reservation will be given to women and SC-ST workers each.
The district committees will be reconstituted in the pattern of KPCC, except for the less-populated districts of Kasaragod, Wayanad, Idukki and Pathanamthitta.

“All the decisions were unanimous. The PAC felt a reorganisation was inevitable to make the party stronger,” Sudhakaran told mediapersons.“Candidates will be selected purely on merit. They would be full-timers and hence those with other responsibilities cannot be included. There won’t be an age limit for the committee members,” he said. “There will be a performance review after 3-6 months and those who do not rise to the expectations will be replaced,” he said. The committees at the block, assembly constituency, ward and booth levels will be reconstituted.

K Sudhakaran
K Sudhakaran

Cong to form ayalkoottam, insist on party discipline

Ayalkoottam, a new category of micro-level committees will be formed. “These grassroots level committees are to strengthen the party’s bonding with the people and to offer them solace. One ayalkoottam will be formed for 30-50 households. With this, the party is shifting towards a semi-cadre style,” Sudhakaran said. 

“The meeting decided to put an end to indiscipline at any cost. Internal democracy cannot be misused anymore. There will be district level disciplinary committees to examine such cases. Also, there will be a state-level appeals committee,” he said. The PAC gave green signal to a proposal to establish a political school to educate party workers. A media cell will be formed at the KPCC which will designate spokesmen for TV channel debates.

K Muraleedharan, MP, did not attend the PAC. It is learnt that he boycotted it since he was not invited for the special meeting Sudhakaran had with the senior leaders ahead of the PAC meeting, which was to convince them about his proposals and to ensure a consensus. The leaders included Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala, Mullappally Ramachandran. Working presidents Kodikunnil Suresh, P T Thomas and T Siddique were also present. Sudhakaran denied reports of Muraleedharan’s boycott and said he was in constant touch with the leader. He did not find any issue with not inviting Muraleedharan to the morning meeting. 

OTHER KEY PLANS

  • The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and district committees to be reconstituted in three months
  •  Committee members will be full-timers, performance review after 3-6 months
  • Ayalkoottam micro-level committees to come up
  •  Leadership to act tough on those violating party discipline

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