THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Making it clear that internal feuds in the Congress were here to stay, K Sudhakaran, upon his return as KPCC president on Wednesday, questioned some of the decisions taken by interim president M M Hassan and said they need to be “examined.”
“I reached the office just now. Let me see what decisions were taken by Hassan. However, certain decisions he took in my absence, including reinstating suspended KPCC secretary M A Latheef, need to be examined,” Sudhakaran told reporters after taking charge at Indira Bhavan.
On Hassan’s absence on Wednesday, Sudhakaran said, “I don’t know why Hassan did not come. He should have been here.” Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who is in Paravoor on vocal rest, also did not attend Wednesday’s function.
Before taking charge, Sudhakaran called on CWC leader A K Antony, who had played a crucial role in ensuring his return.
On Tuesday, Hassan, in his capacity as interim president, was scheduled to address the media on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s controversial foreign jaunt. However, by then, news of the Congress High Command green-lighting Sudhakaran’s return to the party’s helm broke, prompting Hassan to cancel his press meet at the eleventh hour.
Meanwhile, a senior party leader told TNIE that Hassan was bound to be present at Indira Bhavan when Sudhakaran assumed office on Wednesday. Hassan was unavailable for comments. Sudhakaran was welcomed to Indira Bhavan by party workers shouting slogans, and assumed office in the presence of a handful of senior leaders, including Peravoor MLA Sunny Joseph, KPCC vice-president N Sakthan and others.
Hassan’s chair replaced
Among Sudhakaran’s first order of business after re-assuming the KPCC president post was removing the chair used by Hassan and get another one. When asked about it, Sudhakaran told reporters he cannot be moved from his chair, but has no qualms about stepping down if the Congress High Command asks him to do so.