V M Sudheeran to stay; revamp in 3 months

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The AICC has decided to initiate the process to revamp the state party within three months and retain Mr V. M. Sudheeran as PCC president.  Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi  rejected the Congress groups’ move to oust Mr Sudheeran and informed Mr Oommen Chandy and Mr Ramesh Chennithala  about his decision to go ahead with the revamp in separate meetings held with them in Delhi.

A 15-member high-power political affairs committee for the party reorganisation will be appointed soon. Mr Chandy  handed over the names of  ‘A’ group leaders  comprising  Benny Behanan, P.C. Vishnunath, K.C. Joseph, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and M.M. Hassan. Mr Ramesh Chennithala presented his list consisting of Bindu Krishna, K. Sudhakaran and Joseph Vazhakkan eliminating the names of prominent leaders like K. Muraleedharan and V.D. Satheeshan. Though the two leaders expressed their reservations to  Mr Rahul Gandhi about reorganisation before the organisational polls, he did not relent and asked them to go ahead with the plans already finalised.

“The high command will solve the organisational issues of the state. If the AICC leadership decides to conduct the organisational polls and reorganisation, everyone will approve of it,”  said Mr Chennithala. The AICC will not  hold  any more talks on the issue. Congress sources said that the two leaders were not willing to drop factional politics despite the  AICC’s strict instructions. “They gave separate lists for the high-power committee instead of a single list,”  a Congress leader told  DC. Both the leaders were keen on  a 15 or 20-member high-member committee to make it ineffective.   Sources said Mr Rahul Gandhi may not approve of all the names and bring in leaders with calibre and experience.