Congress revamp: Chandy, Ramesh going to Delhi Monday

After treading cautiously while there was no let up in the bargaining by various groups and prominent leaders, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala are all set to ensure that the organisational revamp in the state unit of the Congress is finalised in a few days. Both are planning to be in New Delhi on Monday for the specific purpose.

While majority of the District Congress Committees (DCCs) are going to have new heads and a 21-member list of KPCC office-bearers has also been prepared,with domination of ‘A’ and ‘I’ group  nominees, particular care has also been taken to accommodate the choice of leaders-V M Sudheeran and K Muraleedharan-and a few disgruntled leaders,it is reliably learnt.

Oommen Chandy has taken a position that an entirely new team should be brought in, for which, Chennithala or  those in the ‘Broad I’ group have not responded so far. Chennithala confirmed to Express that they will meet the Congress central leadership on Monday. “The office-bearers will be finalised only in New Delhi,after discussions with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other leaders. We are proceeding with a broad list,” Chennithala maintained. Two vice-presidents and 18 general secretaries will be there in the KPCC list.

Chennithala was nominated earlier. 20 secretaries will also be appointed to assist the team, but only later. MLAs and MPs will not be in the list.

“There is no relevance for any names right now,” said KPCC general secretary E M Augusthy. Despite pronounced maneouverings of the fourth group, led by Union Minister Vayalar Ravi, the general assessment is that all have veered around a consensus.

 “If  Chandy and Chennithala are not able to do it now, their stature as leaders will be at stake,” commented a senior Congress leader. “KPCC president is yielding to such an extent and keen on evolving a consensus,” observed Johnson Abraham,one of the present KPCC secretaries, regarded as a protege of V M Sudheeran. The ‘A’ Group led by Chandy is exerting maximum pressure to bag choice positions and control of DCCs . Barring one or two DCCs,’A’ and ‘I’ Group nominees are tipped to take over the presidentship of most of  the 14 district committees.

K Muraleedharan had sounded his reservations on the hegemony of  the ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups in the scheme of  things.