Kerala: Top Congress leaders tussle over district panels

As part of the reshuffle, in two district committees, Sudheeran appointed a few leaders not affiliated to groups led by either Chandy or Chennithala. This irked the two leaders who fear that their control in the committees would weaken if Sudheeran’s nominees were incorporated.

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Sources said Sudheeran had removed a few leaders in the district committees who had been involved in criminal activities and intervened wherever committees were reconstituted by violating KPCC norms. Sudheeran had also opposed a few names suggested by Chandy in his home district of Kottayam and by Chennithala in his turf Alappuzha for the post of party block presidents.

Despite there being pressure to maintain the status quo in district committees, Sudheeran said in Thrissur on Friday, “The reconstitution would strengthen the party and it should be done before elections to the local bodies. I don’t have any direction from the high command to stop the reshuffle of the party bodies.”

“Sudheeran is popular and has a clean image. Coupled with that, if Sudheeran has the party machinery in his grip, the other groups fear that he would emerge a strong contender for leading the party in the 2016 elections,” a Congress leader said.

With the BJP and CPI (M) eyeing the backward Hindu Ezhava vote bank, Congress group managers fear that Sudheeran, being an Ezhava, would become the party’s choice to lead the United Democratic Front in the state elections. However, sources said Sudheeran has shared with his close circle that he has no plans to return to electoral politics.

Coupled with the rivalry over party re-constitution, Sudheeran has also locked horns with Chandy and Chennithala over corruption.