KOTTAYAM: Looking to gather steam and contain the growing factional feud within the Congress ahead of back-to-back elections, the central leadership has brought back veteran A K Antony from retirement, and formed a 17-member core committee to ensure a collective leadership for the party in the state.
The proposal to constitute the core committee was mooted around eight months ago. Originally intended to be a 11-member body, the committee has been expanded to accommodate the new state president, working presidents and UDF convener. The high command has also ensured woman representation by including Shanimol Usman, former AICC joint secretary.
It is unsure whether Antony will participate in core committee meetings. Although a member of KPCC's political affairs committee, he seldom attends its meetings. The primary objective of the exercise is to quell internal discord ahead of the crucial local body and assembly elections, as the leadership is concerned about the lack of unity within the state unit.
The recent KPCC revamp and appointments of the Youth Congress president and working president have exacerbated tensions, with seniors including V M Sudheeran, K Muraleedharan, Ramesh Chennithala and young leaders such as Chandy Oommen communicating their displeasure to the high command.
There are reports of a chasm between KPCC president Sunny Joseph and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, with allegations that Sunny heavily relies on the working presidents.
Some senior leaders are also unhappy with the excessive involvement of AICC general secretary K C Venugopal in the organisational affairs of the state unit.
Rahul unhappy with internal squabbles in Cong
It is learnt that Rahul Gandhi expressed strong dissatisfaction over the internal squabbles, particularly at a time when the party leaders are claiming that the anti-incumbency factor is prevalent in the state. Earlier, Rahul had suggested a collective leadership in an attempt to end the factional feud.
There are also allegations that Venugopal delayed the formation of the core committee to ensure his supremacy in the state unit. "The high command suggested the collective leadership to prevent one single leader from taking decisions unilaterally. However, a leader at the national level intervened to delay its implementation," said a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity.
With the core committee consisting of CWC members, current and former KPCC presidents and the Leader of Opposition, one leader alone is unlikely to get undue power in the party.
17-member core committee
State Congress president Sunny Joseph, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, CWC members A K Antony, K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, Shashi Tharoor, Kodikunnil Suresh, former KPCC presidents K Sudhakaran, K Muraleedharan, V M Sudheeran, M M Hassan, Mullappally Ramachandran, working presidents A P Anil Kumar, P C Vishnunadh, Shafi Parambil, UDF convener Adoor Prakash and Shanimol Osman.
