Thiruvananthapuram: A section of Congress leaders in Kerala have demanded that the process of reorganisation of the party should be kept in abeyance following the announcement of organisational elections by the All-India Congress Committee.
Leaders of the prominent factions party raised the demand soon after AICC organisational general secretary K C Venugopal stated that with organisational elections the high command does not expect its functionaries to indulge in internal fights and factional feuds right from the booth level.
Prominent leaders of the 'A' group such as K C Joseph, Benny Behanan, K Babu mainly expressed their differences over the move to proceed with the overhaul of the party apparatus at all levels when internal polls have been called.
They also insisted that party reorganisation should be done by conducting elections at alll levels. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy suggested that the organisational elections should be held democratically and in a judicious manner. Ramesh Chennithala too backed his idea.
Babu pointed out that the KPCC president’s announcement that he would contest the organisational elections was out of place. He alleged that the lack of collective decision making and discussions are affecting the party adversely.
Benny Behannan spoke emotionally against the unit committees which were constituted after the elevation of Sudhakaran as the PCC president.
"The unit committees are being controlled by the 'KS Brigade' (reference to KPCC president K Sudhakaran). Even elected representatives of the people were being controlled in the meetings," he said.
Shanimol Usman complained about the less representation of women in the KPCC list. M K Raghavan demanded that new groups should not be formed under the PCC president.
Saratchandra Prasad said that the leaders should be able to go forward unitedly even after the organisational elections. He recollected that because of the differences that cropped up in elections long back, Vakkom Purushottaman and he are like arch-rivals India and Pakistan even today.
AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar and Opposition leader V D Satheeshan spoke at the KPCC leadership meet held at the party headquarters Indira Bhawan in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
Former PCC chiefs Mullapally Ramachandran and V M Sudheeran stayed away from the meeting. K Muraleedharan, MP, had intimated his inconvenience to attend the meeting in advance.
KPCC executive committee members' meeting will be held after the comprehensive leadership meeting of the party on Wednesday.
Organisational elections
Last month the Congress announced the schedule for the organisational elections starting with an enrollment drive for members from November 1. The District Congress Committees have to publish the list of members and candidates for various party bodies between April 1 to April 15. The elections at the District Committee levels are scheduled from June 1 and July 20. The PCC elections are to be held July 21 to August 22 next year.
The elections for the Congress Working Committee and other apex bodies would be held during the AICC plenary session in September or October 22.
