Thrissur: Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Jose Valloor and United Democratic Front (UDF) district chairman MP Vincent resigned from their respective positions on Monday after the party initiated a set of corrective measures following the disgraceful defeat of its candidate in Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.
Valloor declared his resignation during a DCC office bearers’ meeting on Monday, after holding discussions with state and national leaders. Upon his arrival at the office, a faction of workers raised slogans against him, leading to slight tension among the party workers.
Valloor and Vincent came under fire following senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan's loss to BJP’s Suresh Gopi as the party feels that poll debacle and resultants incidents in DCC office brought shame to the Congress despite its impressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls elsewhere in the state.
As Valloor resigned, the party has already directed VK Sreekandan, who has been re-elected from the Palakkad Lok Sabha seat, to helm the Thrissur DCC for the time being.
Muraleedharan’s loss triggered a riot within the Congress’ Thrissur unit with his followers pointing fingers at the district leadership. What started with posters calling for Valloor’s resignation culminated in Congress workers turning to two groups and clashing with each other inside the party office. The Thrissur police have booked Valloor and 20 others based on a complaint filed by Sajeevan Kuriachira, a Muraleedharan supporter, who was allegedly assaulted by Valloor’s supporters.
Muraleedharan has reiterated his stand that he would take a break from active political life and stay away from electoral contests now. He said he would be active on the party’s campaign front during the local body elections due next year as an ordinary party worker.