The 'I' group of the Indian National Congress in Kollam is gearing up to put up strong resistance and stump any move to install a person who is not from that group as the new District Congress Committee president. The strategy will even include “maintaining the status quo” in Kollam, if the need arises.
The main target of the 'I' group strategy is KPCC executive committee member Bharatheepuram Sasi who has been strongly recommended for the post by Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi. In addition to Kollam, Mr. Ravi has also recommended the name of party leader and S.N. Trust executive committee member D. Sugathan as the Alappuzha DCC president.
Congress sources have told The Hindu that since there is strong race between Mr. Sugathan and party leader and Nair Service Society director board member K.N. Viswanathan for the Alapuzha DCC president's post with chances that the latter could succeed with support from the ‘I' group and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, Mr. Ravi's focus on Kollam would turn stronger.
With the caste factor also playing a role in the posting of DCC presidents, a DCC president from the Nair community at Alapuzha means a DCC president from the Ezhava community at Kollam. This situation should naturally make things easy for the Mr. Ravi's nominee since he is from the Ezhava community.
But that nomination is all set to face strong hurdles. The ‘I' group here is adamant that the DCC president at Kollam should be one from their camp. This is because the ‘I' group stakes claim that it is the strongest group of the party in the district and by virtue of that position has been holding the DCC president's post since long as a matter of right.
The sources said that the ‘I' group has evolved a couple of strategies to retain the Kollam DCC president's post. But within the group there are sections and the stronger sections are not in favour of INTUC leader K. Suresh Babu, who is in the race and from the Ezhava community, earning the DCC top post. Another contender K. Somayaji did not get the support he expected from his political godfather.
Therefore, to avoid Mr. Suresh Babu, the stronger sections in the group will vouch for present DCC president Kadavoor Sivadasan (from the Ezhava community) continuing in the post, the sources said adding that on his part Mr. Sivadasan would not be averse to the status quo maintaining suggestion. But if Mr. Sugathan succeeds in becoming the Alapuzha DCC president, the ‘I' group readily has KPCC general secretary K.C. Rajan from the Nair community for DCC top post in Kollam, the sources said.
