Congress Working Committee member A.K. Antony has rapped the senior leadership of the party in the State for unending factional feuds, signalling the need for infusion of fresh blood at the top as a curative measure.
“Discussions and group photos on stage will not suffice. They resemble the photo op and joint statements issued by India-Pakistan Prime Ministers. I don’t believe in this. History will not forgive those who fail to stand together, facilitating the return of those who left the party,” Mr. Antony said while inaugurating the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana meeting organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee for local body members from the party here on Saturday.
He rued erosion of support for the party at the grassroots, lamenting that the leaders were not learning from the party’s set back in the polls. Mr. Antony voiced his concern for the Sangh Parivar poaching from the party’s ranks.
“The BJP that is aiming at a Congress-free India and the CPI(M) that is looking to destabilise the UDF are working in unison against the Congress,” he said.
Mr. Antony said the party’s over-confidence in the wake of the Aruvikkara by-poll win did it in during the local body polls.
But it failed to learn and lost the Assembly polls as well. While efforts should be taken to bring back those who spurned the party, that would not happen if it remained a divided house. Nothing other than unity would help it plug the erosion and there should be more youth in the party’s ranks, Mr. Antony said.
