Thiruvananthapuram: The political affairs committee of the Congress in Kerala, which met on Friday to analyse the defeat of the party in Assembly elections, ended peacefully with fewer blame games, outbursts and conflicts than expected.
It seemed to be a general consensus among the Congress leaders that there should not be any statements or actions, that may further sadden the Congress party workers who are already devastated after facing a humiliating defeat at the hands of the LDF in the Kerala Assembly poll.
All members of the committee unanimously agreed to dismantle ‘jumbo committees’ and to go for a thorough reorganisation from the booth, block, constituency, and district levels.
However, isolated severe criticism against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran and Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had come up during the meeting, which was presided over by the KPCC president himself.
Congress leader P J Kurian demanded that the KPCC president and the Opposition leader step down and allow a change in leadership. K Sudhakaran strongly criticised certain leaders’ deplorable action of holding ‘group meetings’ amid the defeat. K Muralidharan stated that a sudden and rushed decision to change the KPCC leadership is not required. He said the newly elected Congress legislators must be given the freedom to choose the Opposition leader for this term.
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Meanwhile, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran, during his introductory address said that he would accept any decision from the Congress high command. He said, he worked as the custodian of KPCC and takes the responsibility for the defeat in the Assembly polls. He also asked if there is no collective responsibility for failure, like how the credit for a victory is collective. “All responsibilities for the failure is being burdened on me,” said Mullappally emotionally. In an attempt to explain, he said, he has not been adamant in selecting any particular candidate in his role as the KPCC president and has not tried to form groups within the party. It must also be looked into whether the other committees in the party have duly served their responsibilities.
Former UDF Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who had chaired the election management and strategy committee, owned up the responsibility for the party’s failure.
The political affairs committee is to meet again on May 18 and 19, in order to dissect and thoroughly analyse the defeat and to discuss further actions. The party leadership has sought reports detailing the analysis of failure from the MLAs, general secretaries who have the responsibility of the constituencies, and the DCC presidents. The party has directed the MLAs and the leaders at different levels to submit the reports before the Political Affairs Committee meeting scheduled for May 18.
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It is being hinted that a complete, top to bottom overhaul is on the cards for the party in Kerala. During the expected reorganisation, the leadership would also change. Jumbo committees in the Political Affairs Committee would be dismantled. A detailed guideline for the revamp would also be prepared. The KPCC also informed that the Congress Party would initiate action against those who try to taunt and sling mud the party on social media platforms.
