V M Sudheeran resigns as KPCC president

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran, who has never had a smooth run in the office, has bowed out taking everyone by surprise.   He announced his dramatic  decision to quit citing health reasons after spending three years and one month in the chair.  "I am taking this decision based on the advice from doctors.  I need prolonged treatment and hence I was convinced that I cannot carry out my duty as KPCC president in  its fullest sense," said Mr Sudheeran at the KPCC headquarters here after the commemoration of former finance minister P. S. Nataraja Pillai’s death anniversary on Friday.

He had suffered a fall  at a public meeting in Kozhikode on Sunday last and the doctors had advised him a few days' rest due to contusion to his ribs. “The decision is due to personal inconvenience.  The party's interests are of paramount importance. My personal difficulties should not affect the party work. I will send  my resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday itself,”  he said and hoped  that the AICC will make  alternative arrangements soon.  The AICC may entrust the charge to former chief minister Oommen Chandy  with the Malappuram Parliament by-election scheduled for  April 12, it is learnt.

Mr  Sudheeran, 68, who  had  replaced Mr Ramesh Chennithala as KPCC president on February 10, 2014,  had been under attack from both the  ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups for his style of functioning. Congress Working Committee member A. K. Antony,  Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala,  and Mr Sudheeran’s trusted lieutenants-- Thrissur DCC president T. N. Prathapan and KPCC treasurer Johnson Abraham--were told in advance about his plan to quit.   But  Mr Sudheeran had kept Mr  Chandy in the dark due to the distrust between them. Mr Chandy was not on talking terms with Mr Sudheeran after  the recent re-constitution of DCC presidents in which Mr Chandy's loyalists were sidelined.

Mr Chandy told reporters at Nilambur railway station that he had no clue about Mr Sudheeran’s decision.  When asked whether he would take over as the KPCC chief, Mr Chandy said, “I had said earlier that I will  not accept any post and there is no change in that decision.” Mr Chennithala said that he was surprised  by his resignation although Mr Sudheeran had told him   earlier:  “I am liable to inform you that I have decided to call it a day.”

“Sudheeran’s decision has nothing to do with organisational matters. The resignation was unexpected and personal,”  said Mr Chennithala.  Mr  Antony said  the decision was unfortunate and added that it would be a  loss to the Congress in Kerala. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had appointed Mr Sudheeran on  February 10, 2014 as PCC chief ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. But factional politics continued to plague the party on various issues like the liquor policy and election tickets to the loyalists of various leaders.