Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | Senior Congress leader P J Kurien on Saturday said that once the party announces a new list of KPCC office-bearers, it has to be accepted by everyone.
His remark comes amid speculation of dissatisfaction within the state unit of the grand old party over the recent reconstitution of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan, losing his cool over media queries regarding the alleged discontent, and former KPCC chief K Sudhakaran's complete refusal to comment on the issue, have further fueled such speculation.
Additionally, senior party leader K Muraleedharan, who was leading a protest march from Kasaragod to Pathanamthitta over alleged irregularities in Sabarimala, reportedly left the rally and returned to Thiruvananthapuram from Guruvayoor.
Dismissing such reports, Satheesan told reporters in Thiruvalla that Muraleedharan had gone to Guruvayoor as part of his usual practice of visiting the shrine at the beginning of every Malayalam month and that there was no need to read anything else into it.
As reporters continued to ask him whether there was dissatisfaction among Congress leaders in Kerala over the KPCC reconstitution, the Opposition leader said he would not respond to such questions and asked the media not to approach him with them.
"You are trying to find problems in the Congress. Do not ask me such questions. I will not respond to them," he said.
When reporters persisted, he grew angry, said he would not see them again, and walked away.
Subsequently, Kurien, who was also present, said that Congress was a large party and therefore differences of opinion were natural.
"But once the KPCC issues a list of office-bearers, everyone in the party has to accept it," he said, adding that all members would stand together to face the upcoming elections in the state.
Regarding Muraleedharan's reported absence from the protest rally, Kurien said it might be due to personal reasons and that he was unaware of the details.
When asked about Satheesan's irate response to reporters' questions, the senior Congress leader said even that was a reply — and a source of news for the media.
Kurien also denied that Congress MLA Chandy Oommen, son of late Kerala CM Oommen Chandy, was unhappy with the reconstituted list of KPCC office-bearers.
"He is an MLA and a prominent leader. He has not said anything about the list. He only said that Abin Varkey deserved to be the state president of the Youth Congress," Kurien said.
He added that the list of KPCC secretaries and executive members was likely to be announced soon.
Kurien said he was satisfied with all the good decisions taken by the Congress.
The KPCC, under its new president Sunny Joseph, was reconstituted on Thursday, with the AICC announcing a list of office-bearers that included 13 vice presidents and 58 general secretaries.
The list of vice presidents includes veteran party leader T Sarathchandra Prasad, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, and Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan.
Former BJP leader Sandeep Warrier and MLA Aryadan Shoukath, who recently won the Nilambur assembly by-election, are among the 58 general secretaries appointed in the KPCC by the AICC.
