Congress veteran PC Chacko quit the party on March 10 complaining that there was “no democracy left” in the Congress and not sparing the “high command” in his recriminations. “There is no Congress party in Kerala as such,” just two factions of the party, he said. But he firmly dismissed speculation about joining the BJP.
His abrupt resignation comes as a shock for the Congress in Kerala just days before the April 6 state polls.
He announced to the media in Delhi that he had been considering the move for several days. No self-respecting politician could survive in the Congress in Kerala, he said in a series of truth bombs for his party. He added, however, that there was “no question” of him joining the BJP.
“I have quit Congress and sent my resignation to the party’s interim chief Sonia Gandhi. I had been deliberating upon this decision for the past many days. I come from Kerala where there’s no Congress party as such. There are two parties – Congress (I) and Congress (A). It’s a coordination committee of two parties functioning as the Kerala Congress unit,” Mr Chacko said.
The “A” group was headed by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the “I” group by state chief Ramesh Chennithala and these groups had been active for many years, he said.
“Kerala is facing a crucial election. People want the Congress to come back but there’s groupism practiced by top leaders of Congress. I have been arguing with the high command that this should be ended. But the high command is also agreeing to the proposal given by both groups,” he alleged, not naming Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi.
Mr Chacko, 74, one of the Congress’s top faces and spokespersons, is a former MP from Thrissur in Kerala.
Accusing his party of ignoring state leaders in the selection of candidates for the Kerala polls, Mr Chacko said: “There is no democracy left in Congress. The list of candidates has not been discussed with the state Congress committee. There are no panels for any discussions on polls, winnability of candidates. There have always been factions in parties, even in the Congress, but there is no point anymore.”
