The resignation of prominent leaders ahead the Assembly polls is rocking the Congress in Wayanad, the constituency of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
As many as three Congress leaders, including Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee secretary M.S. Viswanathan resigned from the party in a week owing to discontent.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Mr. Viswanathan, who is also a councillor of the Sulthan Bathery Municipality, said that the neglect by the KPCC leadership and the district congress committee of the “Kuruma” community, a major tribal sect in the district, for the past many decades led him to the resignation.
Moreover, the party had neglected him in the last two Assembly elections as a candidate from the community, Mr. Viswanathan said. “The DCC leadership in Wayanad is a failure”, Mr. Viswanathan said, adding that the DCC president, who is also the MLA of Sulthan Bathery constituency, bore the full responsibility of the failure. He would join the Communist Party of India (Marxist). LDF leaders were present with Mr. Viswanathan.
DCC general secretary and Indian National Trade Union Congress State general secretary, P.K. Anil Kumar, resigned from the party and joined Lok Tantrik Janata Dal (LJD) a few days ago. Mr. Kumar, who had previously served as a member of the Wayanad District Panchayat and president of the Kalpetta block panchayat, said he took the decision after he had been sidelined in the party for the past many years and also in protest against the failure of the party to consider local sentiments.
Former KPCC member and a senior leader of the party, K. K. Viswanathan had resigned recently after levelling allegations against the party district leadership.
