NEW DELHI: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and district congress committees (DCCs) are already beset with dissent. Now, in the latest development, the state’s Youth Congress is also facing internal feuds over appointments.
The Youth Congress is witnessing infighting over announcements of the spokesperson’s names. The party was forced to put the names on hold for an hour after they were announced.
Among the four names declared was Arjun Radhakrishnan, who is the son of Congress veteran and senior legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, till the other day was the top leader in the faction of the Congress party led by two-time former chief minister Oommen Chandy. But he parted ways with Chandy and others with a grudge that they did not support him for the post of the leader of opposition.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan distanced himself from the faction that Chandy leads now, and instead got closer to new state party president K Sudhakaran.
Arjun Radhakrishnan, an engineer by profession, told the media that he did not have any idea why the list after being announced was quickly put on hold.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was quick to respond when he said he has no clue of what has happened and his son was a matured person and can choose his ways.
"I have no idea and I have no role in his appointment," said Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.
State Youth Congress president Shafi Parambil, who is also a Congress legislator, said as soon as he heard about the announcement of the list of spokespersons which came without his knowledge, he immediately got in touch with the national leadership and got it cancelled.
"Being the son of a Congress leader doesn't mean there is an advantage and also it need not be seen as a disadvantage either," said Parambil.
Parambil also ruled out the speculation that AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal had a role in the appointment as the post for Arjun Radhakrishnan came as a gratis for his father joining the new power centre of Sudhakaran, leader of opposition VD Satheesan, which is being controlled by Venugopal.
Besides the Youth Congress, DCCs are facing trouble over the selection of 14 district party presidents. They saw resignation and infighting over the appointments.
Earlier, KPCC secretary PS Prasanth was expelled from party for rebelling against All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.
In a frontal attack on Venugopal last month, Prasanth said, “The root cause of organisational problems in Kerala is KC Venugopal. AV Gopinath, former DCC president of Palakkad, has left the party because of it. Nobody was given any positions in Kerala who did not have a commitment to KC Venugopal personally.”
He accused Venugopal of lacking organisational skills. He said, "Be it Goa, Chattisgarh or Punjab, Congress is facing problems due to his lack of organisational skills. In Punjab, the newly-appointed Congress chief is working against the chief minister. Venugopal's job is not just to travel along with Rahul Gandhi in the car when he comes to Kerala, but to strengthen the party. This is why I wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi pointing it out."
Claiming that he didn't criticise the Congress but an individual, Prasanth alleged that Venugopal works as "an agent of Bharatiya Janata Party".
Prasanth's letter to Gandhi read, "Since he (KC Venugopal) took the charge, we could witness the destruction of the party in states including Goa, Karnataka, MP, Rajasthan, Punjab, Chhattisgarh etc… Congress workers in Kerala are doubtful whether his actions to collapse the party are in accordance with the collusion he made with BJP."
(With inputs from IANS)
