THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy have started holding group meetings in view of the proposed organisational revamp. The meetings, which have been opposed by youth leaders, come in the context of the controversy over the remarks made by RSP leader A.A. Azeez on Mr Chandy and Mr Chennithala.
The two leaders are keen on appointing a sub-committee comprising their favourite leaders, it is learnt. The other day, a meeting of the ‘A’ group was held at the legislators’ hostel room of Mr Chandy here which was attended by leaders like K. C. Joseph, Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan and Thampanoor Ravi. The consensus was that preference should be given to youth leaders in place of block and mandalam presidents who have been clinging on to their posts for over two decades.
The youth leaders claimed that during the run-up to the 2016 Assembly elections, it was promised that the longest serving block and mandalam presidents would be removed. “But nothing happened then. We fear that the two groups will share the party seats,” said a DCC president. The two groups want to avoid organisational elections as at least a year is required to prepare for polls. The AICC leadership has been told to revamp the party rather than go for elections. “The Congress has not even published the membership list. The last organisational elections were held during 1992 when Mr Vayalar Ravi became the KPCC president defeating Mr A. K. Antony. Now the leadership wants to avoid a contest,” said a party vice-president.
