Sudheeran not to depose before KPCC committee

The committee will hold its sitting to hear the versions of Ms. Usman and Alappuzha DCC president A.A. Sukhoor after May 20, by which time the election results would be out.

A three-member committee, appointed by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V.M. Sudheeran to inquire into the circumstances that led to the leak in former AICC secretary Shanimol Usman’s letter to him, will hold its next sitting after May 20, but decided to exclude Mr. Sudheeran from deposing before it.

The committee will hold its sitting to hear the versions of Ms. Usman and Alappuzha DCC president A.A. Sukhoor after May 20, by which time the election results would be out.

The committee, with KPCC vice-president M.M. Hassan as convener and another KPCC vice-president Lally Vincent and general secretary P.M. Suresh Babu as members, also held discussions on the conflict between Kollam DCC president Pratapavarma Thampan and INTUC State unit president R. Chandrasekharan. According to sources, many Kollam-based Congress leaders wanted Mr. Thampan’s ouster as DCC president.

Talking to mediapersons on Saturday, Mr. Hassan said the committee would examine the circumstances that led to Ms. Usman’s letter leak. It had a copy of the letter and the complaint of Mr. Sukhoor against her with regard to her role in the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency in the recent elections. The panel had decided to exclude Mr. Sudheeran because he had already given his version. (Ms. Usman had questioned the relevance of such a committee in interviews in various media platforms.).

On the Kollam issue, the committee heard the versions of KPCC general secretaries from the district, DCC office-bearers, other senior Congress leaders, and the UDF district convener.

The committee will submit its report after discussing the issue with senior Congress leaders in the State, Mr. Hassan said.