Congress netas summoned to Delhi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the Chengannur debacle has led to rumblings and soul-searching in the state Congress, AICC president Rahul Gandhi has sought an explanation  from the leaders who have been summoned to New Delhi. A day after former KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran lashed out at group politics,  Congress mouthpiece Veekshanam triggered a controversy by berating  the leaders  for factionalism. Mr Rahul Gandhi who is expected back from the US on Tuesday will hold talks with KPCC president M. M. Hassan, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, former chief minister Oommen Chandy and Mr K. Muraleedharan MLA  on Wednesday and Thursday on the party revamping.       

AICC sources told DC that Mr Rahul Gandhi had  cancelled his planned  visit to Chhattisgarh to discuss the Kerala affairs.  A new  KPCC president would be announced before June 15 after the AICC-level discussions. The state leaders, who attended the  61st anniversary celebrations of the KSU at Indira Bhavan here on Saturday, expressed their disappointment over the Chengannur verdict. Mr  Chandy said all are equally responsible for the  debacle.

“The leaders worked hard for the victory of the Congress candidate, but we should find out the reasons for the defeat,”  said Mr Chandy who has been  recently appointed as the AICC general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh.
 Mr  Chennithala said that the CPM need not feel proud  about the victory because their sins cannot be washed away with a win. “The CPM misused power and resources in Chengannur. I take the responsibility for  the Congress candidate’s defeat, but there is also individual responsibility as  the UDF had worked unitedly,”  he  said.

In the last 12 years, the  Congress had not  lost a by-election, he said and added that the Congress would rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Mr Hassan  asked the rivals to realise  that  in the last nine by-elections, the  UDF had emerged victorious. “Once, E.M.S. Nampoo-thiripad, the first chief minister of the state, ridiculed the  Congress party saying it was only fit to sit  in a corner. But we proved him wrong,” he  said. The Veekshanam editorial hit out at the party leaders saying that the organisational  revamp  had  been half-baked.  Mr Hassan  washed his hands of the editorial citing that it is not the party’s stand. But he has sought an inquiry into it.