No sight of final list of office bearers of Congress in Kerala

Many expected that the final list of the 51-member Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee would be out on Sunday, but nothing happened and the wait is going to continue and as usual the delay is because, things are not falling in place with the respective factions holding on to their point of view.

New state party president K. Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan who have the blessings of the party high command, thought they could put out the list on Sunday and it was after that both returned from Delhi, but it did not happen.

According to a source, when a few disgruntled leaders left to join the CPI-M, after the party high command last month announced 14 new district party presidents, it appears they are cautious after several of the top brass which include Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala, V.M. Sudheeran and M.M. Hassan expressing their displeasure that they are not taken into confidence, the list of the new KPCC office bearers continues to hang fire.

Meanwhile reports have surfaced, while Sudhakaran and Satheesan are determined not to have a jumbo committee like in the past by limiting the list to 51, the Chandy-Chennithala combine however want it to be expanded so as to accommodate their close aides.


For the past many years the committee consists of around 100 members.

Even though the villain to this, according to those in the camp of Chandy and Chennithala, is none other than AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, who was a cabinet minister in the Chandy government in 2004-06, said, that it's only natural anyone would put the blame on him.

"I have done nothing in this list and it's only natural my name keeps coming up time and again because of the post I hold," said Venugopal.


Meanwhile Sudhakaran told the media that things are going on in the right direction and the list will be ready shortly.

Incidentally the problem today is while a section of the leadership even though batting for some basic norms of leaving out people who have been holding posts for a long time, they want to tweak it to accommodate a few women leaders and it's here there is a difference of opinion.

"Some corners have to be cut and it's here that the top leaders are not able to come on the same page. Sudhakaran is adamant that he will not be able to accept a jumbo committee because, ever since he has taken over, he has been saying there will be a small committee. The high command even though is with the new leadership, they however do not wish to see any party leaders leaving the party at this juncture. So more discussions are needed to come to a consensus and it's going to be doubtful, if a 51 member committee can assume office, if it's likely to go up," said a media critic on condition of anonymity - IANS