THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the March 31 deadline fast approaching, the state Congress leadership has decided to focus on the membership drive and put the organisational revamp exercise on the backburner for now. After the last week’s assembly poll debacle, the party central leadership had asked all state leaderships to intensify grassroots-level work and bring back the party’s lost glory. Though it began last November, the digital membership campaign gained momentum only last month. However, some leaders have aired doubts that the target of 50 lakh membership cannot be achieved by March 31.
Meanwhile, hectic lobbying is on for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state. Almost a dozen leaders, including two women, have staked a claim. It is learnt that Thrissur native Sreenivasan Krishnan, the national Congress secretary in-charge of Telangana, has also thrown his hat into the ring.On Tuesday, Congress state chief K Sudhakaran and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan discussed on the panel of candidates. Prominent leaders in the race include Shanimol Usman, Bindu Krishna, Sooranad Rajasekharan, M Liju, M M Hassan, Jaison Joseph, K V Thomas, Cherian Philip, V S Sivakumar, and T Saratchandra Prasad. Sreenivasan, 58, an IIM Bangalore and NIT Kozhikode alumnus could emerge as a black horse if sources are to be believed.
A former Indian Information Service officer, his name was considered for the Chalakudy Lok Sabha seat in 2009 but was later dropped due to objection from local leadership.Sreenivasan told TNIE that he had kept away from state politics due to rampant groupism and has been busy in his role in Telangana. “My contribution to the party is that I am instrumental in launching the Congress’ intellectual wing, Indian Professional Congress. I have been with the party since 1994. I was managing party politics in Thrissur during K Karunakaran’s tenure as union industries minister,” he said.