The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appeared to wade into the bitter dissension within the Congress over the appointment of District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents.
Notably, CPI(M) acting State secretary A. Vijayaraghavan welcomed Congress leader A.V. Gopinath's resignation. Mr. Gopinath was the latest victim of the singular lack of inner-party democracy in the Congress, he said.
Mr. Vijayaraghavan's endorsement of Mr. Gopinath triggered speculation that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) might make some broad arrangement for accommodating the disgruntled Congress leader and his sizeable cohort of followers in Palakkad.
Mr. Gopinath is yet to lay all his cards on the table. He is reportedly open to exploring the possibility of a face-saving deal with the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leadership.
KPCC president K. Sudhakaran has reportedly despatched envoys to pacify Mr. Gopinath, first and foremost to pre-empt more copycat mutinies by the rank and file from rocking the party.
The BJP also sought to make hay out of the Congress predicament.
BJP general secretary M.T. Ramesh signalled that the party would open the doors for Congress persons who accepted the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the CPI(M) was no safe harbour for embittered Congress workers.
Meanwhile, the factional feud in the Congress appeared to assume an "undesirable" caste tinge. An unsigned poster near the KPCC headquarters proclaimed that the Congress had kept away the Nadar community from leadership positions. The Nadar community is a crucial demographic in Kerala and has traditionally supported the Congress.
The KPCC seemed to derive some respite from tit-for-tat exchanges between factional leaders. However, expelled KPCC secretary P.S. Prasanth blamed AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal for the party’s ‘dismal’ situation.
The official KPCC leadership appeared to close ranks against factionalism that threatened to upend the party's reorganisation bid. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Mr. Sudhakaran hinted that the party would crack the whip on indiscipline. The party’s internal matters were it’s own. The party would address the issues raised by United Democratic Front (UDF) partners separately, Mr. Satheesan said.
