Thiruvananthapuram: Former chief minister Oommen Chandy has ruled himself out of the race for the PCC president’s post though his supporters want him to head the party to revive its fortunes in the state. Though the AICC has announced organisational elections as demanded by Mr Chandy, he said he would not hold any elected posts in the party. Former PCC chief V. M. Sudheeran had sidelined Mr Chandy in the appointment of the DCC presidents creating a grouse in him and he had pressed for organisational elections. Mr Chandy told DC that organisational elections were needed to revive the party in the country.
“The AICC leadership accepted my demand, though there would be some difficulties in holding the polls. I had also demanded to amend the Congress party’s constitution so as to hold smooth elections across the country,” said Mr Chandy.He reiterated that he would not revoke his decision not to hold any key posts.“But yes, I will be in active politics, but I do not wish to hold any posts,” he added. One of his lieutenants quipped, “if the Congress party has to thrive in Kerala, Chandy has to come to the helm of the party.” But if the ‘A’ camp fields him for the top post and if he leads the party in the next polls, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala’s dream of becoming the next chief minister will be threatened, he said.
Meanwhile, KPCC president M. M. Hassan met AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader A. K. Antony, Mullapally Ramachandran MP, who is also the AICC’s organisational election committee chairman, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P. J. Kurian and AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Mukul Wasnik in Delhi. Mr Chennithala will hold talks with Mr Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders on Friday.
