Marking the completion of its proposed transition from a mass-based organisation to a cadre system, the Kerala Congress (M) is all set to complete the organisational revamp in October.
According to party sources, a reconstituted State committee of the party is slated to hold its first meeting in Kottayam on October 9 – the birth anniversary of the Kerala Congress. The party is in the final stages of reorganising its units up to the district level, which will draw to a close with the elections to the Malappuram district committee on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the KC(M) appointed a new district committee in Kottayam and elected Lopez Mathew as its president. An official statement said a meeting of the KC(M) district delegates, which was convened in the presence of party chairman Jose K. Mani, unanimously approved the official panel presented by the returning officer.
The election of Mr. Mathew, a former college lecturer and district panchayat member, through consensus also signalled a significant gain to Mr. Mani as he could avoid voting to the district committee.
The KC(M) had its previous organisational election in April 2018 while co-existing with the Kerala Congress led by P.J. Joseph as a single party within the United Democratic Front (UDF).
As part of the revamp, it has already cut down on the number of party steering committee members to 91 from 111, while the State general secretaries have been reduced to 15 from 25.
“A 23-member party high-power committee will be the highest decision-making body, followed by a steering committee. Similarly, the State executive will now be changed as State secretariat with 131 members. Representation of SC/ST members and women will be ensured at all levels,” said a senior leader.
Prior to the revamp, the party also amended its constitution to bring back the levy system and classification of the membership into regular and active. It also carried out an extensive membership campaign and is claimed to have expanded its membership base to over five lakh.
Alongside, it has reinvigorated its six feeder organisations and launched a handful of new organisations to woo young professionals and NRIs.
