KPCC chief Sudhakaran says he is ready to step down if AICC desires so

Thiruvananthapuram | Amid reports that the Congress high command is planning a revamp of the party in Kerala from the top, KPCC president K Sudhakaran on Wednesday said he will abide by any decision taken by the All India Congress Committee.

While making it clear that no one from the AICC has asked him to step down, he told reporters here that it is up to the high command to take a decision on reorganising the party and changing the KPCC president.

“If they (AICC) ask me to step down, I will obey their command as a loyal and obedient party worker,” he said.

Sudhakaran said he had no problems with the party and fully satisfied with his work. “I have no complaints and am satisfied with my work. The party has given me most of the important positions,” he said.

Sudhakaran said he was not a person with any emotional conflict. “I am a contented person without any fear or concern about my position,” the KPCC chief said.

Media reports from Delhi have suggested that the AICC is planning to reorganise the state unit ahead of the local body elections this year and the assembly elections due in 2026.

A discussion on reorganisation of the Kerala PCC had taken place a few weeks ago when AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunsi, held separate talks with several state leaders.

Sudhakaran had then complained to the AICC that he was kept in the dark about the talks, after which the party high command temporarily shelved the idea.

Congress high command has now called all important leaders from the state, including MPs, for a discussion on the preparations for the upcoming polls on Thursday, party sources said.

Tharoor backs Sudhakaran amid talks of KPCC leadership change

Thiruvananthapuram | Congress Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday strongly backed K Sudhakaran's continuation as KPCC chief, stating that the party secured significant electoral victories under his leadership.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP's statement came amid reports that the Congress high command is planning a revamp of the party in Kerala from the top, including the appointment of a new KPCC president.

Responding to a query on this, Tharoor said he believes that "there is no need to change the KPCC president," as under Sudhakaran's leadership, the party has secured significant victories and gained the upper hand.

According to him, Sudhakaran handled matters responsibly, and the party performed very well under his leadership, including winning by-elections.

"So, there is no meaning in the demand for changing the KPCC president," Tharoor said, adding that he will not support such a demand.

"Let him continue. Everyone should stand together with him," Tharoor said.

His statement comes hours after Sudhakaran said that it is up to the high command to take a decision on reorganising the party and changing the KPCC president.

"If they (AICC) ask me to step down, I will obey their command as a loyal and obedient party worker," Sudhakaran said.

Cong convenes meeting of Assam, Kerala leaders to get battle ready for assembly polls

New Delhi | The Congress has called a meeting here of its senior leaders from Assam and Kerala this week in which the status of the organisation and preparations for the assembly elections to be held next year will be discussed, sources said on Wednesday.

The meeting of Kerala leaders on Friday comes amid a row over Congress' Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor's recent article in a newspaper that drew criticism from some Congress leaders in Kerala for his perceived praise of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state for boosting the investment climate.

In Assam, the Congress has opened a front against the BJP government and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma on the issue of alleged corruption. On the other hand, Sarma and the BJP have accused Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's wife of having links with Pakistan and its neighbouring country's intelligence agency ISI.

The meeting with senior leaders from Assam will be held on Thursday.

The Congress is the main opposition party both in Kerala and Assam and seeking to wrest power from the LDF and the BJP in the two states respectively.

Assembly elections are set to take place in Kerala and Assam in March-April next year.

The two meetings with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi will be attended by the party in-charges of both the states, the president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, the Leader of the Legislative Party, MPs and many other senior leaders.

Tharoor's article in the English-language daily, praising the entrepreneurial growth in Kerala under the LDF government, kicked off a political storm in the state a week ago, with the Congress questioning the basis of it while the CPI(M) welcomed it.

Later, Tharoor's remarks in a Malayalam podcast were seen by many as pitching himself for leadership in the state. He is said to have been upset with a section of the state leadership.

Speaking with reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor noted that a party meeting has been called on Friday and he "will be there with everyone else".

Amid reports that the Congress high command is planning a revamp of the party in Kerala from the top, KPCC president K Sudhakaran on Wednesday said he will abide by any decision taken by the All India Congress Committee.

While making it clear that no one from the AICC has asked him to step down, Sudhakaran said it is up to the high command to take a decision on reorganising the party and changing the KPCC president.

In Assam, Gogoi has rejected the allegation against his wife as "ridiculous" and top Congress leaders have stood by him, slamming Sarma for the claims.

IUML hails Tharoor as "crowd-puller", "effective campaigner"

Kozhikode (Kerala) | In a significant boost for Shashi Tharoor, who is reportedly facing isolation within the Congress in Kerala, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), its largest ally in the state, on Wednesday hailed the Thiruvananthapuram MP as a "crowd-puller" and an "effective campaigner".

The IUML emphasised that Tharoor's contributions would be valuable to the Congress-led UDF in Kerala.

"I believe he is still a Congressman. Tharoor is an effective campaigner, and the UDF can utilise him. He is part of the UDF and the INDIA alliance. He is also a well-known politician in India. He is a crowd-puller," IUML supremo Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal told reporters here in response to a query.

Amid the alleged tussle within the Congress over the Chief Ministerial candidature for next year’s Assembly polls, Thangal also emphasised the need to strengthen the unity and stability of the UDF as the elections approach.

Thangal’s fresh statement on the Tharoor issue came days after he urged the Congress to address any internal leadership disputes in its Kerala unit, following a political debate sparked by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member’s recent interview with an English daily.

In the interview, Tharoor highlighted the "absence of a leader" in the party's Kerala unit, subtly positioning himself as a viable option by citing his appeal among non-traditional voters.