Congress leader quits over Kerala DCC list

Senior Congress leader V Gopinathan on Monday announced his resignation from the primary membership of the party as the internal rift over the selection of 14 presidents of District Congress Committee (DCC) continued.

Later on Monday, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) expelled PCC secretary P S Prashant for anti-party activities. He was suspended from the party but continued to flout discipline by raising frivolous charges, said PCC chief K Sudharkaran. He had raised serious charges against AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and blamed him for the present mess in the party. Prashant was a candidate from Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram district in assembly elections but failed to win it.

Announcing his resignation from the party at a press conference here, the senior leader said he would not like to continue as a stumbling block in the progress of the party for which he worked tirelessly for the last five decades.

“I have been with the party for almost 50 years. I have lost all hopes now. So there is no point in remaining in it,” the former MLA and Palakkad district Congress committee chief said.

Supporters of Gopinath had pressed for his appointment to the post of DCC chief but the leadership selected A Thankappan to lead the party in the district.

Gopinathan was also unhappy after he was denied a party ticket in the March assembly election but was placated after he was promised a party post.

While reports suggest the ruling CPI(M) is trying to woo the grassroots leader, Gopinathan said he has no plans to join any other party for now.

CPI(M) leader A K Balan said it was for Gopinathan to take a final decision. “The developments show decline and degeneration of the Congress. It is for him to chalk out his future plan,” he said.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the party central leadership is reportedly upset with former chief minister Oommen Chandy and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala for their public outburst over the selection of DCC chiefs. The top leadership also reportedly directed the state unit not to amend the list according to the sulking leaders.

The new list by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Sudhakaran and opposition leader V D Satheesan have come under criticism from several party leaders, with both Chandy and Chennithala alleging that the DCC chiefs were selected sans discussion.

Sudhakaran and Satheesan have, however, maintained that adequate talks were held with everyone before shortlisting the names. Some leaders have also blamed AICC general secretary K C Venugopal for the mess.

The party on Monday issued show cause notices to two senior leaders -- K Sivadasan Nair and former PCC general secretary K P Anil Kumar -- who were suspended two days ago for publicly expressing displeasure over the list

Party leader Joseph Vazhakkan said the party cannot move ahead by ignoring the views of senior leaders like Chandy and Chennithala.

Chandy’s erstwhile supporters like Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan and P T Thomas have asked party leaders to bury their differences and accept the list approved by the high command.

Meanwhile the allies of the United Democratic Front (UDF) expressed reservations over continued infighting in the lead party. The Revolutionary Socialist Party said it will keep away from the UDF meet if the drama was not settled soon. Other allies like the Muslim League and Kerala Congress (Joseph) are also unhappy. But UDF convener M M Hassan said he will talk to allies and their worries will be sorted out.