At Chintan Shivir, Congress readies action plan for 2024 Lok Sabha election

Kozhikode: The Kerala unit of the Congress party doesn't mind taking a leaf out of its arch-rival CPM's book and hold party conferences in a time-bound manner as the latter does.

In the organisation report presented on the opening day of the brain-storming session, named Chintan Shivir, it was suggested that a schedule has to be fixed for party meets right from booth-level like the conduct of the annual state conference on the 28th December every year.

However, the representatives suggested an amendment that the conference needs to be organised only once in two or three years citing that it is not practical every year.

An 18-month action calendar has been prepared in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The action plan has been divided into six parts of three months each.

It is also being suggested to reorganise the committees so that there is one Mandal Committee in a panchayat.

The CPM-BJP poll tactic, to influence some sections of the voters by engaging in a tussle close to the election time, must be brought out, suggests the report of the political affairs committee.

A ‘Rights certificate’ listing out the demands of each section must be declared and protests must be held, in order to increase the party’s influence among Tribals, Dalits, fishermen and farmers, it was suggested.

The action plans for the Lok Sabha polls and reports from political affairs, organisation, finance and outreach committees were presented at the Shivir yesterday.

The representatives split into groups of five and discussed the reports. Reports including suggestions and amendments were submitted to the Content committee which includes senior leaders, by yesterday night.

After the Content Committee discusses the same, the final decisions of the Chintan Shivir would be announced during the closing ceremony of the event today.

Sudheeran, Mullappally stay away

Former KPCC presidents V M Sudheeran and Mullappally Ramachandran stayed away from the Chintan Shivir reportedly due to differences with the present leadership of the party. However, both the leaders refused to comment on their absence.

Soon after the new KPCC leadership took charge, Sudheeran had resigned from his position on the political affairs committee. Mullappally Ramachandran has not been attending the political affairs committee meetings.

Commenting about the absence of Sudheeran and Mullappally, KPCC president K Sudhakaran said, “We have done everything possible.”

DCC president K Praveen Kumar said, both Sudheeran and Mullappally were invited to the event and that they had informed about their inconvenience to attend the same.

187 delegates attend, 22 absent

As many as 209 Congress delegates, including 184 delegates and 25 invitees, were to participate at the Chintan Shivir. However, only 187 persons including 162 representatives attended the Saturday session.

Veteran leaders including A K Antony, Vayalar Ravi, C V Padmarajan, Thennala Balakrishnappilla and Aryadan Mohammed kept away from the event owing to health issues.

K Muralidharan, MP, could not attend because his son got married yesterday. He is attending Sunday's session.

T N Prathapan, MP, was also absent yesterday as his wife was hospitalised.

Shashi Tharoor, MP, informed that he could not participate as he is out of station.