Elders ignore, say Youth leaders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The political affairs committee constituted by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in August last year has failed to serve its purpose, it is alleged. Many leaders of the 21-member high-power body do not attend its meetings held once in a month. According to youth leaders, the KPCC executive and leadership meetings have become a farce ever since the PAC was formed to take major decisions.

Mr Rahul Gandhi formed the PAC on August 31 following the requests from the two group leaders, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. A PAC member told DC that majority of the MPs - Kodikunnil Suresh, Mullapally Ramachandran, K. V. Thomas, K. C. Venugopal and M. I. Shahnavas and AICC leader P. C. Chacko-- stay away from the PAC meetings citing inconvenience. "They have to take at least two days off from their hectic schedule. Moreover, no crucial decisions are taken at the meeting. Also PAC decisions are not discussed at the other party meetings," the member said.

At the last KPCC leadership meeting, PCC president M. M. Hassan had said that the PAC meeting on Wednesdaywould discuss the preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. But it only dealt with the actor abduction case and the spurt in fever deaths. "Hassan said that the next PAC meeting on August 5 will discuss the next Parliament elections. While the senior Congress leaders are calling for unity against the communal forces, the CPM and BJP have already started their ground work for the general elections," said another PAC member.