Kerala Congress management rallies behind Sonia Gandhi, Venugopal

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Even earlier than the choice of the essential Congress Working Committee (CWC) assembly held within the aftermath of the occasion’s ballot debacle got here out, the state management on Sunday rallied behind Sonia Gandhi and nationwide common secretary (organisation) Ok C Venugopal. 

However, the odd Congress staff had been in no temper to toe the management’s line with over 20,000 occasion staff coming down closely on Venugopal and the excessive command, holding them accountable for the extreme ballot drubbing. They selected state occasion president Ok Sudhakaran’s Facebook web page to offer vent to their anger. 

Apart from Venugopal, there are two extra Malayali leaders within the CWC – A Ok Antony and Oommen Chandy. Antony was indisposed as a result of a second assault of Covid -19 that compelled him to steer clear of the CWC meet for the primary time since 1984. 

Majority of the CWC leaders, together with Oommen Chandy, expressed their sturdy assist in the direction of the incumbent management. Prior to the essential assembly, Oommen Chandy got here out in favour of Rahul Gandhi’s trusted lieutenant Venugopal, saying that he shouldn’t be blamed for the dismal failure of the occasion. 

Opposition Leader V D Satheesan, who maintains shut ties with Venugopal, advised TNIE that there are solely a handful of leaders within the G -23. “There have been deliberate attempts by certain vested interests at the state and national levels to tarnish the image of Venugopal. Except Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu and Kashmir, the rest of the G -23 leaders don’t have much clout.”

Exuding confidence that each one hope just isn’t but misplaced, state Congress president Ok Sudhakaran advised TNIE, “Congress party cannot be written off just like that. The focus should be on initiating corrective measures including taking the G -23 leaders into confidence. A leader (Venugopal) alone cannot push the party into a disaster.” Senior Congress MP Ok Muraleedharan, who has cozied as much as senior Ramesh Chennithala’s camp, stated Rahul Gandhi ought to take up the mantle of the occasion. 

“Rahul Gandhi should travel the length and breadth of the country as he is still a crowd puller. He also should take the G -23 leaders on board and steer the party to its old glory.” he advised TNIE. However, there have been dissdent voices too. Former state Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran unleashed his tirade in opposition to Venugopal saying sycophancy just isn’t going to assist the grand outdated occasion. 

Venugopal maintained that he’s not above criticism and corrective measures shall be taken up by the occasion on the Chintan Shibir in a month’s time.  “I have been in this party for the last 42 years. I am not after positions as that will come and go. Sonia Gandhi can take any step. I will be a Congress worker till my end,” he stated after the CWC assembly.