Uproar in Congress’ Kerala unit a day after occasion’s new district presidents named

By Express News Service

KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bickerings and outbursts have surfaced within the Congress occasion in Kerala a day after the announcement of the brand new District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents to all of the 14 districts within the state.

Senior leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala alleged that no correct discussions have been held earlier than finalising the names of the brand new DCC presidents whereas KPCC president Ok Sudhakaran, Opposition chief VD Satheesan, KPCC working president PT Thomas and senior chief and MK Muraleedharan mentioned the brand new names have been chosen preserving the Congress occasion’s curiosity in thoughts, and never the curiosity of varied teams.

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“The list of new DCC presidents was arrived at after lengthy and proper discussions across various layers of the party in the state. Perhaps, never in the Congress party’s history in Kerala, such lengthy discussions have been held,” Satheesan advised reporters in Kochi, including that when Chandy and Chennithala have been on the helm throughout 18 years, no such discussions have been held.  

“KPCC president K Sudhakaran and I held two rounds of talks with Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala. We have taken their suggestions and opinions before finalising the list. But, we can’t divide the 14 districts by distributing seven DCC presidents each between those two groups. We have promised a new leadership style to revive the Congress in Kerala, and the list, we believe, is for the betterment of the party,” mentioned Satheesan.

Earlier, Oommen Chandy advised reporters in Kottayam denied studies that he was concerned in any discussions over the number of new DCC presidents. “There were no discussions with me regarding the new DCC presidents. Some reports said my nominee was selected as DCC president of Kottayam and Idukki. It’s not correct,” Chandy, who leads the ‘A’ faction of the Congress in Kerala, mentioned.

Chennithala, former KPCC president, who leads the ‘I’ faction of the Congress, has additionally come out towards the brand new DCC presidents listing. He mentioned extra discussions may have been held, earlier than saying the brand new DCC presidents’ names.

“If we had held more discussions, we could have avoided the intervention of the Congress High Command,” Chennithala mentioned, including that each Congress chief within the state was a part of one group or the opposite. “Tell me who doesn’t belong to a group in Kerala? Now, we are seeing a phenomenon where someone says he’s not part of a group when he gets a party position,” he mentioned.

Addressing a information convention in Thiruvananthapuram, KPCC president Sudhakaran mentioned the restructuring of the DCCs was held after correct discussions amongst numerous senior leaders, KPCC workplace bearers and the Congress High Command.

Echoing Satheesan’s feedback, Sudhakaran mentioned by no means within the occasion’s historical past such prolonged discussions have been held earlier than finalising the names of the DCC presidents. “Of course, it’s not possible to satisfy everyone,” he mentioned.

PT Thomas, KPCC Working President, mentioned that the brand new DCC presidents’ listing gave extra significance to the Congress occasion organisation in Kerala, as towards the ‘teams’ pursuits. “I don’t think the DCC list could be prepared without taking the views of senior leaders like Oommen Chandy and Chennithala. The DCC list should have been finalised by August 15, but the list was delayed by about another 15 days as there was a view that more discussions should be held,” Thomas, who can also be an MLA, mentioned.

Ok Muraleedharan, a former KPCC president and a sitting MP, has additionally come to the help of Sudhakaran and Satheesan, saying there have been never-before-seen discussions and talks between numerous segments of the Congress occasion, earlier than arriving on the remaining listing. “There were wider discussions than any time in the past for preparing this DCC presidents’ list,” he mentioned.