Congress has been disturbed by the slew of resignations of some of its big leaders from Palakkad and Wayanad constituencies of Kerala just ahead of the elections on April 6.
Some of four Congress leaders have resigned in past few days from Wayanad constituency, which is represented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Those who have resigned include DCC general secretary Anil Kumar, KPCC secretary M S Vishwanathan, Mahila Congress state secretary Sujaya Venugopal and KPCC executive committee member K K Vishwanathan.
M S Vishwanathan has resigned on Wednesday to protest against the leadership’s failure in assuring the social justice in distribution of seats. Vishwanathan, who belongs to the Kuruma tribal community, which is a leading tribal segment in Wayanad said, “Kuruma community has been neglected in seat sharing exercise. I have the support of my community. The posts of DCC president and the legislator are held by one person. I had already expressed my dissent much earlier.”
CPI (M) who had promised the Congress rebel that he would be included the party but when Vishwanathan left Congress, the CPM leader E M Sankaran joined Congress and filled that community gap as he also belongs to the same community as Vishwanathan.
K P Anil Kumar who was designated to find a solution to the pre-election crisis in the constituency said, “The party is looking for a solution to bring them back. The resignations are a fallout of discontent brewing in the party for quite some time. Conciliatory efforts are on. When we lost one leader from the Kuruma community, we managed to get a CPI (M) leader from that community to our camp”.
Whereas in Palakkad constituency A V Gopinath, the former DCC president and legislator has challenged to fight elections against the Palakkad legislator Shafi Parambil who is also the state president for Youth Congress. Currently Congress MP V K Sreekandan is the DCC president in Palakkad.
Meanwhile Gopinath, who thinks he has been sidelined because he is not associated with any Congress group said, “One month ago, I was informed that I have to take over as DCC president. But that was torpedoed. Congress committees have been reduced to fill nominees of groups. If there is no favourable decision, I will quit the party within two days”.
Congress is worried because Gopinath belongs to a party called Peringottukurussi panchayat of which 11 members are now ready to join Gopinath.
