Not in PCC chief race, Oommen Chandy tells Congress high command
However, the Chandy camp said acting KPCC president M. M. Hassan will continue in his role.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former chief minister Oommen Chandy has stuck to his stand that he will not hold any elected post in the party. Mr Chandy told Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi that he was not interested in becoming the PCC chief and asked him to find a suitable candidate. The ‘A’ camp, however, hopes that eventually the AICC leadership will pressurise him to lead the party. After the talks with Mr Rahul Gandhi, he told reporters that he will continue his role as a public servant. “I took the decision not to hold any post after the poll mandate went against the UDF government. I will not change my mind. The ball is in the court of the AICC to find an appropriate candidate,” he said.
However, the Chandy camp said acting KPCC president M. M. Hassan will continue in his role. “Eventually when the organisational elections are held, the AICC leadership will persuade Chandy to take up the PCC chief’s post. Otherwise, he will recommend Benny Behanan. But if communal equations are to be balanced, Ezhava candidates like Vatakara MP Mullapally Ramachandran or former Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran will be named,” said a top ‘A’ group leader. Former PCC chief V. M. Sudheeran also held talks with Mr Rahul Gandhi and demanded that a consensus candidate must be chosen as the new PCC chief.