Efforts by the Kerala Congress led by P.J. Joseph to realign with all major forces within the regional party’s platform appears to have suffered a major setback with reports of a major infighting emerging along factional lines.
According to party sources, the immediate context of the latest round of infighting is a reorganisation of the party held soon after the recent Assembly elections. The process, according to them, have disrupted the hierarchical order while the jumbo committees, formed apparently to accommodate senior leaders, have rendered it an unwieldy character.
The simmering discontent within the party leadership was on ample display when its core leadership met at the residence of Mr. Joseph in Thodupuzha on Monday. While it brought to the fore the raging differences between the major leaders, the meeting finally arrived at a consensus on conducting organisational elections at the earliest
“The issues over organisational hierarchy could mostly be resolved if the organisational elections are conducted in a transparent manner,” said a senior party leader.
Earlier in April, Mr. Joseph had formalisd its merger with the Kerala Congress led by P.C. Thomas and appointed him as the working chairman. Mons Joseph, a Joseph group strong man from Kaduthuruthy, was elected as the executive chairman, while Joy Abraham was the secretary general.
A group of leaders under senior leader Francis George and Johny Nellore, later came out in the open expressing reservations on the reorganisation. The two leaders had joined Mr. Joseph as part of the veteran leader's effort to expand by bringing in new members and shifting old alliances so as to gain an upper hand over the KC(M) led by Jose K. Mani.
“Despite the protests, the party leadership continued with its reorganisation and decided to set up the State committee consisting of 1,000 members, a high-power committee with 70 members, and elected 55 general secretaries and 14 vice chairmen,” said another leader. Outraged by the perceived side-lining, Mr. George and team refused to assume the positions accorded to them.
As part of the organisational elections, committees from ward level would be revamped soon and the subsequent changes could be brought in a phased manner, he said.
The dissident leaders, meanwhile, are expected to take charge of their positions after these elections.
