THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the midst of political turmoil, the Congress is all set to convene its high-powered Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting at the DCC office in Kochi on Sunday. State Congress president K Sudhakaran not being active in the party has become a major concern for senior leaders. The meeting is going to be crucial for Sudhakaran who had been entangled in a series of controversies recently.
The PAC meeting is being convened after more than five months. For quite some time, a section of senior leaders are upset with the leadership as they are unable to air concerns on various issues in party platform. Sudhakaran had initially decided to hold the meet on November 17 but was postponed due to his inconvenience.
The PAC is expected to take up the issue related to the criticism raised by IUML leader A P Abdul Wahab against Congress. He had criticised that Congress MPs were absent when the Bill on Uniform Civil Code was taken up in Rajya Sabha on Friday.
Apart from the latest controversy following Abdul Wahab’s criticism, a slew of other issues ranging from the controversy over Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s Malabar tour to the just concluded Vizhinjam protest are expected to be taken up at the high-powered committee meeting.
“The PAC is supposed to be the party’s most-important platform. It was decided to meet every month to finalise the party’s policy matters in the state. But its relevance was lost ever since the current state leadership assumed office. It is unfortunate that PAC meetings are postponed due to K Sudhakaran’s health issues,” a senior PAC member told TNIE.
The PAC meet is also expected to discuss Sudhakaran’s back-to-back controversial remarks including his statement during ‘Express Dialogues’ on difference between politicians from the south and north of Kerala, alleged sidelining of IUML, in addition to his pro-RSS remarks. Though these remarks had snowballed into controversies, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan had stood like a rock behind Sudhakaran.
At the PAC meeting too, Satheesan is expected to stand behind him. A section within the party feels that, in the name of protecting Sudhakaran, Satheesan has been handling two important posts in the party.
Meanwhile a leader close to Sudhakaran said he is keeping a low profile as he has been waiting for the Central leadership’s announcement giving him an extension.
“Sudhakaran’s reappointment is getting delayed. This deadlock has affected the party. There are a few Congress MPs like Kodikunnil Suresh, Anto Antony and Benny Behanan who have been eyeing Sudhakaran’s post. Sudhakaran will continue in office as he had assumed office just 18 months ago,” a leader close to Sudhakaran told TNIE.