Rahul Gandhi agrees to party elections

Thiruvananthapuram: The pressure tactics of  former chief minister Oommen Chandy seem to be paying off with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi agreeing to hold organisational elections after the Assembly elections in five states. Mr Chandy told reporters after talks with Mr Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday that he was fully satisfied with the discussions. “I have apprised the AICC leadership of  what I had to say.  The ball is in the AICC court on  how and when the organisational elections have to be held. I have neither any complaints nor any demands,”  he said.

Mr Chandy who has been demanding to hold organisational elections, said that the AICC leadership would be  busy with the Assembly elections in February and March. Sources say that Mr Chandy wants to shunt out KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran. Mr Chandy clarified that he had informed the leadership in advance that he would  not be able to attend the PAC meeting as well as the AICC summit due to prior meetings. During  the talks with Mr Rahul Gandhi, he reiterated the need to make amendments to the party constitution.      

Asked about the comment made by senior  leader A. K. Antony that there were only leaders and no followers in the party due to  internal feuds, he quipped, “is it good to fight?”

Earlier, Mr Chandy  held talks with AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Mukul Wasnik. He also paid a courtesy call on former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. He will return to the state on Tuesday.