Unrest in Kerala Congress; two leaders suspended

Both leaders alleged that the new district presidents were selected on the basis of loyalty to party leaders and not merit

Close on the heels of the Congress national leadership announcing the new district Congress committee presidents in Kerala by Saturday evening, two party leaders have been suspended for openly flaying the selection of the new district presidents.

Former MLA K Sivadasan Nair and former Kerala PCC general secretary K P Anilkumar were suspended from the party by Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran. The charge against the two was that they violated the party discipline by making open statements against the selection of new district congress committee presidents during television channel discussions.

Both of them alleged that the new district presidents were selected on the basis of loyalty to party leaders and not merit.

Unrest has been brewing in the Congress over the last couple of weeks as the selection of new district presidents was progressing. Veteran leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala had reportedly conveyed to the national leadership that the state leadership did not consult them before finalising the nominations sent to the national leadership. The state was also witnessing poster campaigns against the party leaders.

Congress sources said that more voices of resentment would come out in the coming days. After the setback suffered by the party in the Assembly election the state leadership was revamped mainly with the aim of ending groupism in the party. But even then party leaders were learnt to be pushing for their loyalists during the selection of district leaders.