THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the AICC plenary got under way in Raipur, fissures within the Congress state unit have come out in the open. State working president Kodikunnil Suresh approached the central leadership against state president K Sudhakaran, even as Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan warned that groupism won’t be tolerated.
Many state leaders who had travelled to Raipur for the plenary were surpised to bumb into each other. They had reasons to feel perplexed as the state leadership had not released the list of co-opted AICC members from Kerala. Only when some leaders posted photos on social media did others come to know about their inclusion as AICC members.
This has irked the group leaders, especially the ‘A’ group, with Kodikunnil and P C Vishnunadh openly expressing their displeasure with Sudhakaran.
“I received several calls from leaders from across the state asking for the selection criteria. The leadership has not officially released the list of AICC members. As working president, I took the matter to the notice of Tariq Anwar, national general secretary in charge of Kerala. He has promised to look into it,” Kodikunnil told TNIE.
While Sudhakaran remained tight-lipped, Satheesan maintained that factionalism will not be tolerated in the party. The Opposition leader said the list was finalised after the leadership had received names from different quarters. However, Satheesan did not say why the leadership failed to release the list.
‘State leadership remains divided’
With the plenary session amending the party constitution to increase the strength of Congress Working Committee (CWC) to 35, chances of Kerala getting a Dalit representation in CWC through Kodikunnil is high. The official announcement is expected to be made by president Mallikarjun Kharge in a week. It is reliably learnt that the list has already been prepared.
Meanwhile, former state president Mullappally Ramachandran has written to the national leadership saying he’s not interested in becoming either a CWC member or chairman of AICC’s disciplinary committee. Mullappally, who has been attending the plenary meets since 1969, remained upset, and had no qualms in unleashing a tirade against Sudhakaran and K C Venugopal. His biggest grudge is against Sudhakaran for lack of ‘accountability’ to the party.
Mullappally told TNIE that he had booked tickets to Raipur but had an after-thought at the nth hour. “The KPCC has become a den of undesirable elements. The state leadership remains divided. In the past 21 months, I met Venugopal just once. A few days ago, he called me and asked whether I would be going to Raipur. He didn’t say anything. He called me to inform that I have been included in the drafting committee on political resolution. I duly prepared it and forwarded it to Veerappa Moily,” said Mullappally.
Asked about reports that he would be included in the CWC, he said,”I do not wish to hold any posts now. I have already informed the leadership. I had a long innings in Delhi as an MP for 35 years. Also, I have served under Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and also ensured Rahul Gandhi’s selection as Congress president. That’s enough!”