The Hindu : National : Congress reschedules organisational elections in 9 States

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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

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Congress reschedules organisational elections in 9 States

By Our New Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI, MARCH 31. Amid increasing pressures and factional pulls in various State units, the Congress today announced rescheduling of organisational elections in nine States including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana. The revised schedule could delay the election of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) and the new Congress president that had been tentatively slated for April-May.

As per the revised schedule, elections for the District Congress Committee (DCC) president and DCC executive would have to be wrapped up by May 10 as against the earlier timetable of March 14. However, the AICC had earlier allowed Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana — where Assembly elections were held in February — to complete this process by April 24.

The other States, which have got extension are Rajasthan, Sikkim, and the Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Pondicherry, according to the revised schedule released to the State units by the party's Central Election Authority.

The Authority also informed the State units that the schedule for the election to the Pradesh Congress Committees would be announced later.

In Tamil Nadu, the PCC president, G. K. Vasan, has been having a running battle with an influential section of the State unit. This faction — which includes several senior leaders and members of Parliament — were peeved at the PCC for cornering a major share of the organisational set-up.

The clash between the ruling establishment and a former minister, P. Kannan, had resulted in the suspension of the latter during the run-up to the membership drive in neighbouring Pondicherry. Mr. Kannan held a rally to demonstrate his strength, which was disapproved by the central leadership.

Similar problems have emerged in Kerala where the Karunakaran faction has accused the PCC — in which the `I' group has very little representation — of managing the membership drive in its favour. His decision to convene three rallies against the wishes of the high command has resulted in the suspension of his son and former Kerala PCC president, K. Muraleedharan. However, the central leadership has acceded to his demand for having District Returning Officers from outside.

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