Complaints galore after Congress leadership declares office-bearers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : After the Congress national leadership approved the new list of KPCC office-bearers, many leaders have raised complaints about lack of accommodation based on community and merit. Though the leadership claims that the list was prepared in a timely manner, according to party insiders, it was after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge put pressure on AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunsi, that the final list was released. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan was of the opinion that the list of KPCC secretaries should also be released with the main list. However, the AICC general secretary decided to release the lists of general secretaries and vice-presidents only. Though there were rumours about the release of the list weeks ago, after the leadership decided to put on hold the KPCC secretaries list, it was said that a last-minute change was made. Many leaders who were supposed to be in the list of secretaries were rumoured to be in the list of general secretaries, a KPCC leader said. However, as the final list was released, several leaders didnt find a place, he said. Though the high command was keen to consider A and I groups proposal, it failed to address the proposals submitted to it by senior leaders. K Muraleedharan had reportedly asked the leadership to accommodate K M Harris, who is vice-chairman of the KPCC minority department in the general secretary list. However, it was not considered. And one of his loyalists, Mariapuram Sreekumar, who had earlier functioned as KPCC general secretary, was dropped from the list. In Kollam, senior leader K C Rajan who was the DCC president for 14 years, failed to find a place in the political affairs committee. Though two leaders each from the Muslim and Christian communities found their place as general secretaries, no one from the powerful Ezhava community was considered. Though the name of Sooraj Ravi, the son of late Thoppil Ravi, was proposed by some leaders, he didnt find a place in the final list. Though there were reports that the prominent leaders who were not considered will be appointed as DCC presidents, the leadership has decided not to consider the DCC presidents list now. Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed expressed her resentment towards the new list. Her Facebook post is merit a criterion invited criticism from several leaders. Meanwhile, there is also a criticism against the inclusion of leaders who had been accused of taking an anti-party stand in the last Lok Sabha election and who had spoken against the Congress. Former Thiruvananthapuram DCC president Palode Ravi, who was forced to resign after an audio clip surfaced in which he reportedly commented on Congress poor chances in the coming assembly election, has been promoted as KPCC vice-president. Though the leadership claims that, of the 59 general secretaries and 13 vice-presidents, community representation has been followed, there is a criticism that proportionate representation on the basis of total number of people appointed has been violated. Among the general secretaries, seven are from OBCs, and among vice-presidents, only three are from OBCs. From Scheduled Caste, four have been nominated as general secretaries while from Scheduled Tribe only one finds place. In the vice-president category, two are from Scheduled Castes. Nine women were inducted as general secretaries. However, in the vice-presidents list there is only one. No proportionate representation Though the leadership claims that, of the 59 general secretaries and 13 vice-presidents, community representation has been followed, there is a criticism that proportionate representation on the basis of total number of people appointed has been violated