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Revamp leaves Kerala Congress in disarray

The reorganisation of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) ahead of the Assembly polls early next year has left the party that heads the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state in total disarray.
While many have started openly airing their resentment over the exercise some have even approached the Congress high command. They are upset over the attempt by top leaders like Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC chief V M Sudheeran to fill the party committees with their favourites.
The bid by the leadership to solve the complaints has led to emergence of jumbo-sized committees in most districts. Most of the District Congress Committees (DCCs) have around 70 to 100 members. The capital district of Trivandrum figures high on the list with 105 members. The number of office bearers has also gone up accordingly.
The senior leaders are keen to have their men in the DCCs because they will have a big role to play in the selection of candidates for the Assembly election, which is slated to be held in April-May 2016.
They, therefore, have taken special care not only to include their favourites but also to keep their detractors out of the panels, leaving many aggrieved. The feeder bodies of the party are the most aggrieved lot. The youth and the women wings of the party have come out openly against the alleged neglect.
While the Youth Congress have taken to the street to register their protest against the alleged neglect, the Mahila Congress, the women's wing of the party, has approached the All India Congress Committee (AICC) with a resolution.
YC state vice-president C R Mahesh has termed the exercise humiliating. The revamp carried out in violation of the existing norms has left the party with more leaders than workers. Mahesh viewed this as a clear indication of KPCC chief, who claims to be above groups, succumbing to group politics.
Some Members of Parliament have also come out against the revamp.
Shashi Tharoor, who represents Trivandrum Lok Sabha constituency, sees the jumbo-sized panels as a result of nepotism crippling the party. The diplomat-turned politician has taken up the matter with the party high command.
He has also complained that he and his supporters were ignored and sidelined. He alleged that he was never involved in any talks regarding the reconstitution of the DCC despite party president Sonia Gandhi's clear instruction to state leaders that the MP should be a member of the committee tasked with the reorganisation.
Another MP M I Shanavaz has also aired similar complaint. He said that this kind of revamp had never happened in the history of the party. This will see more leaders on the dais and lesser workers in the audience whenever the DCC calls a meeting.
The feud adds to a silent campaign against the leadership of Oommen Chandy being spearheaded by the rival group headed by the Home Minister. The ordinary Congressmen fear that this will affect the prospects of the party in the coming election.

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