Trouble in Kerala Congress: UDF allies fret; CPM, BJP sniff opportunity

Congress allies in Kerala’s United Democratic Front have expressed concern over infighting in the party’s state unit, which intensified after the appointment of presidents to 14 District Congress Committees, even as CPM and BJP have made no secret of their keenness to fish in troubled waters.With the warring groups in Congress refusing to yield, infighting has led to the KPCC suspending a former Congress MLA, a former KPCC general secretary, resignation of a former DCC chief and sacking of a former party secretary for questioning the yardstick adopted for appointing the new PCC chief. All the four are affiliated to the groups led by either AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy or former KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala.While PCC chief K Sudhakaran and CLP leader VD Satheesam, who have the blessing of AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, insist the appointment of new DCC presidents marked the end the old system of ‘two groups cornering party posts’ and heralded a ‘groupless state unit, which has accommodated all’, veterans Chandy and Chennithala hit the protest path by alleging the DCC chiefs’ selection was done without proper discussions. Many see this as a larger fight between the new axis and the veterans to control the levers of the state party.

As the infighting showed no signs of abating, Congress allies appeared concerned. ET Mohammad Basheer, National Organising Secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League said: “The IUML is not a party to the differences with the Congress party in Kerala. But we want, and we hope, the Congress leadership would soon amicably sort out their internal issues so that the UDF remains united and strong to take on the LDF government after claims about Covid-19 management and its unscientific lockdown policy stand exposed before the people.” Another UDF ally and RSP leader Shibu Baby John has likened the rift in state Congress to “a ship being sunk by its occupants”.Amid buzz of CPM negotiating with some Congress leaders who have been sacked or resigned, the communist party’s acting Kerala secretary A Vijayaraghavan said: “The infighting has shown the number of groups within the state Congress has now grown from two groups to four or five groups. As there is no democracy in the Congress, only nominations and appointments happen. If Congress leaders come out in search of democracy, it would be good.”Kerala BJP general secretary MT Ramesh said: “The downfall of the Congress party in Kerala too will happen with internal conflicts and with many party leaders joining the BJP, as they did in other states. The unhappy Congress leaders of Kerala can’t join the CPM as the Marxists are allies of the AICC and, therefore, the BJP will be their natural destination. We will welcome them.”