On Thursday, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran unveiled a roadmap for revitalising the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Mr. Sudhakaran said a young cadre of salaried full-time workers, strict adherence to inner-party discipline, an appraisal system to assess the performance of leaders, a term limit for those in power in Congress-controlled cooperative banks and institutions, and a laser-like focus on livelihood issues would lay the ground for the Congress’s resurgence in the State.
The KPCC president was briefing mediapersons after chairing a two-day leadership training camp for District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents.
He said organisational discipline was non-negotiable. The axe would fall hard on those who attempt to slur the integrity of party leaders or harp about sensitive internal issues in public.
The KPCC would form disciplinary committees at the district and state level. It would impose a publicity code to ensure individual workers did not use party symbols and iconography for brazen self-promotion.
The KPCC would formulate a code of conduct for protests, campaigns, and press conferences. “The embarrassing spectacle of Congress workers jostling for prime position in front of cameras at party events should stop. Only leaders will march at the head of protests or sit on the dais,” Mr. Sudhakaran said.
Mr. Sudhakaran made light of the recent dissensions within the Congress over the appointment of DCC presidents. “A storm in a teacup has passed. Such differences are not new to the Congress. Party workers are not a gagged group. Nevertheless, they should confine their criticism to within the party and not provide ammunition for enemies. The rule applies to all party workers, irrespective of their seniority or service,” he said.
The Congress would insist on the “one person, one post” rule. A control commission will monitor the functioning of cooperatives led by the Congress. A supervisory committee will monitor and evaluate the performance of local self-governments under party control. “The Congress is in a crisis. Drastic action is necessary for its survival as a political entity,” he said.
