The Hindu : Kerala News : Strengthen party machinery: Gangadharan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Strengthen party machinery: Gangadharan

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 24. The Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly, M. P. Gangadharan, today called for a revamping of the party machinery and the Government.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Gangadharan said that correcting past mistakes and strengthening the party organisation could reverse the trend against the Congress in the State.

He said that the party machinery was weak. The Government had alienated social organisations.

It also failed carry out developmental programmes for want of funds. All this had led to the defeat of the party in the elections.

The State, he said, could now get help from the Centre to tide over its financial problems.

Mr. Gangadharan said that that there was no need for the replacement of the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony.

The Congress leader said he did not understand why the UDF convener, Oommen Chandy, had stated that the policies of the Government should change, as Mr. Chandy was the convener of the body that decided policy.

However, a demand for change in style was understandable, though he did not find anything wrong with Mr. Antony's style.

Mr. Gangadharan said that Mr. Antony could not have turned down the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran's offer for a package to establish unity in the party.

The contribution of Mr. Karunakaran to the party was something that cannot be ignored.

However, fielding Padmaja Venugopal from Mukundapuram was wrong. If good candidates had been fielded in Mukundapuram and Ernakulam, the Congress could have won those seats, Mr. Gangadharan said.

He said that there was nothing wrong if Mr. Karunakaran's meeting with party leaders today was for consultations.

However, it would not be right to hold group meetings at present.

He said that the Leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan, had no political grounds to criticise the induction of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader, E. Ahamed, into the Union Ministry.

It was the Left, which had formed the first alliance with the IUML. The IUML had always upheld secularism and opposed attack on India by Pakistan.

It had stood with the Congress from the seventies. He had recommended Mr. Ahamed's inclusion in the Ministry, Mr. Gangadharan added.

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