THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Many of the Young Turks in the state Congress have reportedly approached the high command seeking a more proactive role in decision making. They have also apprised the national leadership of their displeasure with the situation in the state leadership.
Their sentiments were relayed at a meeting earlier this week with the Congress general secretary in charge of the state Deepa Dasmunsi. Confirming the meeting, both Deepa and the young leaders told TNIE that state politics and organisational subjects figured in the discussion.
According to sources, MLAs raised concerns over their potential not being put to use, though the party has a good crop of young leaders. This is in contrast with the CPM’s policy of promoting its second rung of leaders, they stressed. The senior leadership is not taking young leaders and MLAs into confidence in the decision-making process, they said.
The young guns are also unhappy with the way leadership issues are handled. “In such situations, they stress on maturity to keep us quiet,” a young MLA said on the condition of anonymity. “A K Antony became KPCC president and chief minister in his 30s. There was no question of maturity then,” he said.
At the meeting with Deepa, the group emphasised that though local-body and assembly elections are round the corner, key decisions are yet to be announced.
The meeting was held at Indira Bhavan. However, MLAs Chandy Oommen and C R Mahesh were not among those invited. “No one informed me about such a meeting,” Chandy said.
Leaders told TNIE that the state party is moving ahead with its ‘Mission 2025’. “There will be a large meeting of ward committees of the state unit soon, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi participating. The date will be finalised after Ramadan,” a senior leader said.
The call for a more prominent role has coincided with a new line of thinking. Some of the junior legislators are now advocating the role of non-career politicians. According to them, it is time to distinguish between professional and political work.
Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Rahul Mamkootathil and Shafi Parambil are among the young politicians who have had success in making the distinction.
“I have decided not to touch the salary I get as MLA as it is a service to the people. Over the last four years, the amount has accumulated to `25 lakh,” Kuzhalnadan said.
He recently set up a non-governmental organisation, ‘Sparsam,’ to oversee utilisation of the money “for the welfare of the needy people in the constituency”. Interestingly, Kuzhalnadan has invited Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to launch the NGO.