'Jumbo' committee won't do any good: KPCC President

The President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), Mullapally Ramachandran, said on Monday that he did not not favour a jumbo committee when the party organisation is revamped.

"For an effective organisation, a 'crowd' of office-bearers won't help. I have made my stand clear with the party's national president and now it's left to them," Ramachandran told the media.

The biggest problem for the Congress in Kerala is that for ages it has been under the control of factional leaders. Today the factions are led by Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala, Vayalar Ravi and then there are various other groups led by V.M. Sudheeran and K.V. Thomas, to name a few. Hence at the time of a revamp of the party structure, all these factional leaders, who have clouts either here or in Delhi, will try to push their close aides.

"Barring A.K. Antony and Thennala Balakrishna Pillai (former state Congress President), all other leaders have given me a list of who they wish to be included in the committee. I have made my observation on each of them and handed the list to Delhi," said Ramachandran.

He also made it very clear that with the Assembly elections scheduled for May 2021, it would not be in the fitness of things if the present legislators try to come into the committee.

"Likewise, members of Parliament too should not become a member, as their responsibilities for their constituencies are huge. I have made everything clear to all concerned," added Ramachandran, a former Union Minister.

For a while, the top leaders of the state Congress have been engaged in several rounds of talks, both here and in Delhi, for revamping the party at all levels.

The present committee has four Vice Presidents and numerous General Secretaries and Secretaries at the state level and a similar jumbo committee at the district level and this is what Ramachandran has been opposing.

( With inputs from IANS )