Congress leaders in New Delhi to expedite reorganisation process
A triad headed by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph, MLA, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, and United Democratic Front (UDF) convener Adoor Prakash held marathon meetings with MPs from Kerala, reportedly to ease purported intra-party tensions over recasting district congress committees (DCCs).
KPCC working presidents were also involved in the discussions, along with a few select general secretaries.
According to a Congress insider, the KPCC aims to replace at least eight DCC presidents, prioritising community, caste, and age demographics, as well as efficiency, over factional considerations.
However, he claimed that some tension loomed over the reorganisation process, with a few leaders questioning the wisdom of changing 'entrenched' DCC presidents, including a few of their loyalists, when the local body polls were at the doorstep.
'The KPCC leadership will likely focus on bringing sceptical MPs on board to broadcast a message of unity to flip the script on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the local body elections projected to be a three-cornered fight,' he said.
The leadership meeting also occurs amid intra-party criticism, recently voiced by Congress veteran P.J. Kurien, among others, that, apart from the bluster of young leaders, the party lacked boots on the ground for door-to-door campaigns to ensure pro-party voter turnout. Mr Kurien also pointed out that the Congress lacked ward committees in several regions.
Mr. Satheesan rubbished reports that dissent plagued the reorganisation process. Mr. Joseph said the reorganisation would make the Congress election machinery battle-ready. He refused to set a deadline for the process.
When asked whether MPs had suggested any particular names for DCC president posts in their respective constituencies, Mr. Joseph said there was 'no dearth of names for leadership roles in the Congress. We are hoping to strike a balance between youthfulness and experience,' he added.
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