THIRUVANNATHAPURAM : Even as K Sudhakaran expressed eagerness to return to the role of Congress state president, incumbent president in-charge M M Hassan will continue for the time being.
The sitting MP who was party candidate from Kannur, was planing to take the mantle on Sunday, a day after the party’s LS poll review meeting. However, the party directed him to wait for a communication from the national leadership.
After the poll review meeting on Saturday, Sudhakaran was huddled with AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.
Sudhakaran was forced to ask him whether he’s still the Kerala Pradesh Congress C ommittee (KPCC) president, in an apparent reference to the dilly-dallying on handing over charge. “Venugopal apprised him that a letter from AICC leadership has to be released urging him to resume his duties as state party chief. It is scheduled to be sent after a few days”, said a senior leader close to Sudhakaran. Sudhakaran had initially planned to resume his role as Congress state president on April 29.
But he was informed on the previous day that Hassan will continue holding the charge until the review meeting on Saturday. That’s when he decided to resume his duties on Sunday. But now it has become clear that he will have to wait for some more time. Curiously, it’s K C Venugopal who should issue the letter on behalf of the national leadership. In the AICC’s letterhead dated March 21, Venugopal had conveyed to AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Deepa Das Munshi, that Hassan was being given charge as state party chief “until the conclusion of Parliament elections, given the current PCC president’s involvement in the ongoing elections”.
Contrary to Sudhakaran camp’s claim, there are reports that Hassan will continue holding the charge until the poll outcome is known on June 4.
Hassan draws flak at meeting
Sources said M M Hassan faced the ire of K C Venugopal at the review meeting. It’s learnt that Venugopal reprimanded Hassan for not defending Rahul Gandhi in the P V Anwar row. Venugopal told Hassan that he should have effectively resisted when the Nilambur MLA made a controversial remark about DNA test on Rahul Gandhi. Venugopal did not hide his disappointment against Hassan for not coming out with a strongly-worded statement when Anwar went to the extent of addressing Rahul Gandhi as a “low-level citizen”