Mullapally Ramachandran, KPCC chief V M Sudheeran cross swords

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran and the party's national election authority chief Mullappally Ramachandran MP had crossed swords at the KPCC's high power Political Affairs Committee meeting held here on Monday. Their enmity started when Mr Sudheeran became the party chief against Mr Ramachandran's ambitions and the latter never tried to hide it. At the meeting, Mr Sudheeran claimed the UDF protest against the LDF on the self-financing college issue become a success just because of the organisational support.

"The protest gained strength because of the party support. Mr Ramachandran should be attending party meetings once in awhile. Only then you will know what is happening here," he said. Mr Ramachandran retaliated saying he knew how "to reply more than ten times" of what he had already said and he should not make him do that. Mr Sudheeran was in no mood to relent and alleged that he was wondering how the central election committee was going to go ahead.

An agitated Mr Ramachandran said he was doing his job in Delhi and he need not have to impress him. He ended the heated conversation saying he need not require Mr Sudheeran's "goods certificate". Before Mr Sudheeran had become the party president, he was known for his harsh criticism of the UDF government. When he became president on Feb 10, 2014, they decided to work together despite lots of differences. Mr Ramachandran had then criticised Mr Sudheeran’s attitude against the government then.

At the same time when AICC had initially decided to hold the second leg of the organisational elections countrywide during July last year, a majority of the KPCC leaders were apprehensive of it taking place in the state as scheduled. The main reason that they cited was that Mr Sudheeran wanted to complete his term and he was not sure of retaining it. But the Vatakara MP was firm on organisational elections.