The Congress leadership has begun moves to pacify former district president A.V. Gopinath, who had made public his displeasure with the party leadership and its policies.
District Congress Committee president V.K. Sreekandan, MP, met Mr. Gopinath at his house on Wednesday and offered to address his concerns. Ramya Haridas, MP of Alathur, also met the veteran Congress leader as part of the party’s fire-fighting exercise.
All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee working president K. Sudhakaran too spoke to Mr. Gopinath over the phone to placate him.
The voice of dissent raised by Mr. Gopinath ahead of the elections had sent shock waves through the party. Mr. Gopinath, if left to abandon the party, could make potential loss to the interests of the Congress in the Palakkad Assembly constituency.
Mr. Gopinath said he had been facing a lot of slights and snubs from the party leadership in the past 10 years. He said about 50 workers loyal to him had been suspended from the party on many occasions.
He demanded that the disciplinary action against his supporters be withdrawn and they be reinducted in the party. He said his voice of dissent was not for any post or power but to guard his followers.
