As prominent leaders leave the party one by one, there is a fear in Kerala whether the Congress in the State is withering away.
This is being discussed hotly following the decision of V M Sudheeran, former president of the KPCC and who has adorned all positions except that of the Chief Minister tendering his resignation as chairman of the political affairs committee as well as the membership of the All India Congress Committee.
Besides Sudheeran a number of local leaders of the Congress have quit the party in disgust as they were overlooked while appointing the office bearers under K Sudhakaran, who was appointed president of the Kerala unit in the aftermath of the debacle suffered by the party in the 2021 assembly election.
Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandi and former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala are sulking alleging that they were not consulted while appointing the new office bearers. “Why should they be consulted for each and every decision being made by the KPCC president? Had they consulted their peers while they were occupying the posts?” asked T H Mustafa, former minister and septuagenarian Congress leader. Mustafa said the need of the hour was to give elbow room for Sudhakaran and his team to work independently.
“If Sudhakaran fails to deliver the result, he too should be replaced. But he should be allowed space to work,” Mustaffa added.
K C Joseph, former minister, said that efforts were on to check the exit of more leaders from the party.
“Tariq Anwar, who has been deputed by the Congress High Command was in the State for the last couple of days and he had met Sudheeran. We are confident that the party would tide over the present crisis,” Joseph told The Pioneer.
Hari S Kartha, former chief editor, Janmabhumi, who is a leading political commentator said the resignation of Sudheeran was mere saber-rattling and part of political bargaining.
“He is almost 75 and where will he go? Same is the case with other senior leaders in the party. Their time is out and they should give way to new leadership. The leadership in Kerala failed in 2016 and 2021 and even during the local body election. Let Sudhakaran try his luck while the High
Command can elevate the so called seniors to some kind of Marg Darshak Mandal,” said Kartha.
Interestingly, ordinary Congress workers are thrilled over the prospectus of Rahul Gandhi, who represents Wynadu in the Lok Sabha, becoming the Congress President.
“Till now we did not have anyone from this part of the country becoming All India Congress Committee (AICC) President other than Sir C Sankaran Nair who headed the party for a year in 1897. We are confident of Congress coming back to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha election a la the 2004 experience,” said Ashok Kumar of Angamali, a Congress activist for the last 50 years.