Kochi: Election of Congress chief has fuelled factionalism in the party in Kerala where the Congress chief K Sudhakaran’s open support for Mallikarjun Kharge has disturbed Shashi Tharoor, MP.
Sudhakaran’s stand has annoyed Tharoor’s supporters who are all set to start their campaign in the state. Tharoor had been taking all criticisms in right spirit, but Sudhakaran’s U turn on the matter has annoyed Tharoor as Sudhakaran had earlier favoured conscience voting in the polls.
Since the party has not announced any official candidate, Sudhakaran’s stand is likely to create more problems in the party in the state where Sudhakaran and Opposition Leader V D Satheeshan were assigned to crush it a few months back. Satheeshan also favours Kharge who is about 16 years older than Tharoor who is 66.
Satheeshan said Kharge is well experienced and said the contest is a sign of democracy existing in the party which is not there in BJP or other parties.
Such incidents are not new in the 137-year-old party which is going to polls after about a quarter century during which Sonia Gandhi was at the helm and led a government at the centre for a decade.
The last election was held on January 3, 1997 when Sitaram Kesri won defeating Sharad Pawar and late Rajesh Pilot. Before completing one year Kesri was replaced by newly enrolled party member Sonia Gandhi even before Kesri had completed one year as party chief. The election will be held on October 17 while counting of votes declaration of result will take place on October 19.
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