Kerala Congress Leader PC Chacko Sends Resignation to Sonia Gandhi

Kerala Congress leader PC Chacko has lashed out at the party leaders on Wednesday, sending his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi, and saying that it had become difficult to be a Congress leader in Kerala.

This comes even as the party has been finalising its list in Kerala that goes to polls on April 6.

“No democracy left in Congress. Candidate list has not been discussed with the state Congress committee. I have sent my resignation to Sonia Gandhi,” he said.

Pointing to the fact that the Congress has not had a president for over a year, he said, “Being a Congressman is Kerala is very difficult. If you belong to some group in Congress then only you can survive. Leadership of congress is not much active.”

A former Lok Sabha member, Chacko said he hoped his resignation would serve as an eye-opener for the party. “I’m unhappy with the functioning of Kerala Congress. The Congress is becoming weaker and weaker day by day, if my resignation opens the eye of the party, then I will think my resignation has served the purpose.”

A senior member of the Congress in the poll-bound state, Chacko resigning is a big blow for the Congress. Chacko said that he had been thinking of resigning for a long time.

He alleged that the party’s candidates for April 6 Assembly polls in Kerala was being determined in an undemocratic way by two groups –“A” group headed by Oommen Chandy and “I” group headed by Ramesh Chennithala. The two groups have been active in the state unit of Congress since the period of veteran leader and late K Karunkaran and senior leader AK Antony.

While the A group was then headed by Antony, the I group was led by Karunakaran.

“I’d been deliberating upon this decision for past many days. I come from Kerala where there’s no Congress party as such. There are 2 parties – Congress (I) & Congress (A). It’s coordination committee of 2 parties functioning as KPCC,” he said.

Chacko also alleged that he had been fighting with the party high command to end “groupism” in the party. He said, “Kerala is facing a crucial election. People want Congress to come back but there’s groupism practiced by top leaders of Congress. I’ve been arguing with high command that this should be ended. But the high command is also agreeing to the proposal given by both groups.”

Minutes after Chacko’s resignation, Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera took to Twitter to slam Chacko. Khera said in his tweet, “Says a man who actively encouraged and promoted groupism in Delhi. Huzoor jaate jaate der kar di (took too long to leave).”