Leaders to oppose AICC if list is drastically changed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The firm stand taken by

AICC

leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi, against the sharing of

KPCC

member posts among the party’s groups has upset former chief minister Oommen Chandy and opposition leader

Ramesh Chennithala

. For the past several years, both leaders have been taking decision for the party in Kerala.

Upset over his tough stand, now Chennithala, Chandy and KPCC president M M Hassan have jointly written a letter – addressed to the AICC vice-president – urging the national leadership to conduct polls and elect new office-bearers in Kerala. The letter was sent to AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik on Saturday.

The new demand is aimed at delaying the election process in the state. However, Wasnik had a discussion with Rahul on Saturday morning and it is learnt that a new list of KPCC members, with some minor changes, will be prepared soon.

Both, Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala have decided to take a tough stand against the central leadership if any of their nominees are replaced from the list and this has been communicated to senior leader AK Antony. Sources said Antony was unhappy with the way state leaders challenged the national leadership when AICC is about to anoint Rahul as the new AICC president.

This is not the first time state leaders are opposing Rahul’s decision. When Rahul decided a few names in the 2011 assembly elections, he faced stiff resistance for the first time. The second instance was when both leaders opposed the name of VM Sudheeran for the post of KPCC president. When new DCC presidents were selected by Rahul, Chandy’s nominees did not get enough recognition after which he did not cooperate with the party in various internal matters.

With many senior leaders like V M Sudheeran, K Muraleedharan, Mullappally Ramachandran, P C Chacko and K V Thomas voicing their opinions against Chennithala and Chandy for dictating terms in the party, the decision of the AICC hold the key.