V T Balram seeks leadership change

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: V.T. Balram has sought leadership change in Congress, indirectly accusing leaders like Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and M.M. Hassan of taking unilateral decisions. In a Facebook post with hash tag; #ReclaimOur-Congress, #CongressDeserveBetterLeadership_Kerala, Balram hit out at the party leadership for allotting the RS seat to Mani. The decision to give Congress seat and that too to Kerala Congress which ditched the UDF, ruled Kottayam district panchayat with the help of CPM till the other day, and still ruling Bathery with Marxist backing, was an insult to those partymen who love the party.

It is pathetic that the Kerala Congress has decided to field a person who still has a year to go in Lok Sabha as the Rajya Sabha candidate. Though there may not be a bypoll in Kottayam soon, the UDF will have the additional responsibility of explaining to the people the reason for leaving the constituency without a representative for almost an year. “We don’t know who is behind the idea to give Mani’s party  RS berth. But it is a fact that there was no proper discussion on the issue within the party fora. This ‘stupid’ decision is likely to create dangerous communal polarisation in the state. There were no serious discussions in the KPCC executive, political affairs committee or parliamentary party meeting  as pointed out by several top leaders.”

He said only two or three leaders were squarely responsible for the decision. “I fail to understand what mandate do they have to take such a decision?  It is highly undemocratic that  leaders of two groups after taking a self serving decision without discussing the matter with others, then portrays it as a unanimous decision of  the Congress.” “If such decisions are taken to uphold the self respect and dignity of the party and party workers then it could be accepted. But if decisions are taken for vested interests and to gain an upper hand in group politics, then I don’t think you will get workers to sing praises for the leaders any more.”

Balram said the Congress in Kerala deserved a better leadership.  “It is the need of the hour to have a state Congress leadership which has vision, understands the emotions of the workers, upholds high values before the public, knows the pulse of present day politics and think for the future of Congress and secular Kerala beyond their positions

“Not only the present leadership but even the leaders who are aspiring to be at the helm of affairs soon, have maintained a tacit silence. I think it may be part of their last ditch effort to stem their places and positions in the party without annoying anyone. In fact this attitude is creating apprehensions about party’s future.  “We expect that those leaders who want to come to top KPCC leadership and national leadership and are indulging in lobbying in Delhi should at least say something to keep up the morale of party workers. I don’t think we can expect drastic changes in a situation where the outspoken are hounded and silent ones are hailed as intelligent.”