The State Congress leadership’s efforts to placate Palakkad’s dissident leader A.V. Gopinathan continued in earnest on Saturday with State working president K. Sudhakaran visiting him at his house at Peringottukurissi near Alathur.
After a discussion that lasted more than an hour, Mr. Sudhakaran and Mr. Gopinathan appeared confident about a rapprochement. Mr. Sudhakaran said the Congress leadership would take positive steps to maintain the party’s unity and to address the concerns of its regional leaders
‘Solid base of followers’
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders will contact Mr. Gopinathan over phone on Sunday, and the party will take a final decision in a day or two. “We will solve the issue without causing any damage to the party,” Mr. Sudhakaran said, adding that Mr. Gopinathan was a leader with a solid base of followers.
Mr. Gopinathan said he would wait for three days for the KPCC decision.
“We want the Congress to regain its past glory in Palakkad. I am not seeking anything for my personal gain. We want a leadership that listens to, understands, empathises with the party workers,” he told The Hindu.
Senior Congress leaders such as V.S. Vijayaraghavan, V.C. Kabeer, K.A. Chandran and K. Achuthan shared Mr. Gopinathan’s views. Mr. Sudhakaran held discussions with Mr. Kabeer, Mr. Chandran and Mr. Achuthan. He also met District Congress Committee president V.K. Sreekandan, MP, at Shoranur. A large number of Congressmen had gathered at Mr. Gopinathan’s house when Mr. Sudhakaran arrived. They waited eagerly till the discussion was over.
