THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOCHI: Restructuring of the party’s political affairs committee (PAC) has triggered resentment within the Congress in Kerala ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Those who are inactive have been included in the reconstituted PAC, while young dynamic leaders have been ignored, allege a section of Congress leaders in the state.
“Hostile leaders” like former KPCC president V M Sudheeran and “inactive” ones like Mullappally Ramachandran found their way to the party’s top decision-making body in the state, while vocal leaders like MP Rajmohan Unnithan and MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan were left in the lurch, they say.
Sudheeran had stepped down from the committee in September 2021 citing lack of coordination, and Mullappally mostly stays away from party programmes. Both had not found place in the list submitted by the state Congress leadership, but national general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal ensured their inclusion, sources said.
The clear winner in the whole episode is Venugopal who ensured a smooth sail for his supporters into the influential body, even as he seized the opportunity to act magnanimous, stepping down from the PAC in order “to give others a chance”.
A source close to Venugopal told TNIE that 12 leaders found a berth in the new PAC under the “NSS quota”.
There is widespread criticism about the “jumbo size” of the new committee. Its strength was increased from 21 to 36. “The expansion of the committee to include leaders belonging to different groups spoiled the objective of the committee,” said a senior leader.
Besides Unnithan, three more MPs -- Dean Kuriakose, V K Sreekandan and Remya Haridas -- failed to find a berth in the restructured PAC.
The ‘A’ group is also upset with the leadership for not giving adequate representation to leaders from its fold. The group had given a list of leaders that included besides Dean, K P Dhanapalan, K Babu and Thampanoor Ravi.
“We are upset with the leadership not only about exclusion of our leaders, but also about the size of the new committee. We don’t understand why Dean was excluded. He is a former Youth Congress state president and is senior to Shafi Parambil, MLA,” an ‘A’ group leader said.
Shashi Tharoor, MP, who found a place in the PAC, maintained that it should not be seen as a jumbo committee. But, a large section of the state Congress leaders feel that there is not much difference between the executive committee and the PAC.
The first sitting of the revamped PAC is slated to be held later this month after Congress state president K Sudhakaran returns from the US.
‘Hostile leaders’ in
V M Sudheeran and Mullappally Ramachandran included in the party’s top decision-making body
MP Rajmohan Unnithan, MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan left out
‘A’ group is also upset with the leadership for not giving adequate representation to leaders from its fold