Thiruvananthapuram: The much-awaited final list of DCC presidents was released by AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi in New Delhi on Thursday. The major highlight of the development is that for the first time there is a generation shift at the district committees with young crop of leaders being included on the list. Bindu Krishna, who will head the Kollam DCC, happens to be the lone female leader on the list. Following is the list of new DCC presidents.
Thiruvananthapuram – Neyyatinkara Sanal (‘I’ group), Kollam – Bindu Krishna (‘I’ group), Pathanamthitta – Babu George (‘A’ group), Alappuzha – M. Liju (‘I’ group), Kottayam – Joshy Philip (‘A’ group), Idukki – Ibrahim Kutty Kallar (‘I’ group), Ernakulam – T. J. Vinod (‘I’ group), Thrissur – T. N. Prathapan (close confidant of PCCC chief V. M. Sudheeran), Palakkad – V. K. Sreekandan (‘I’group), Malappuram – V. V. Prakash (originally with the ‘A’ group, but now associating with all the groups), Kozhikode – T. Siddique (‘A’ group), Wayanad – I. C. Balakrishnan, MLA (‘I’ group), Kannnur – Satheesan Pacheni (‘I’ group), Kasaragod – Hakkim Kunnel (‘I’ group).
Out of the 14 DCC presidents, M. Liju, T. Siddique and I. C. Balakrishnan were chosen under the ‘youth label’. Youth leaders are elated over the list as they vouch that the older generation has moved out and a young batch has taken over the party which would usher in remarkable changes at least in three districts. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala’s camp is also happy as it has got maximum representation.
In the case of Mr Prathapan, he got blessings from Mr Chennithala as well as the Congress high command. The list was announced after several rounds of deliberations and consultations with more than 300 leaders in the state including members of the high-power 21-member Political Affairs Committee, MLAs, MPs, former PCC presidents and former and current KPCC office-bearers. But a top Congress leader told DC that more than the merit, the two group leaders, Mr Chennithala and former Chief Minister Mr Oommen Chandy ensured that the new list has the adequate backing of respective groups.
“Take for example the case of KPCC general secretary Lathika Subhash who actually belongs to the ‘A’ camp,” said a top Congress leader. “Thought she had more merit, Mr Chandy batted for Mr Joshy Philip in Kottayam which reveals that group support mattered most. “ Same is the case with Mr P. C. Vishnunath who was in the race for the Kollam DCC. At the end, Ms. Krishna romped home as she got the blessings of ‘I’ group”, said the leader.
