Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 27 The Congress is known as the grand old party, but in Kerala their state president K.Sudhakaran is trying to imbibe the CPI-M's cadre culture to strengthen the party and beat the rival in the game.
The word cadre says everything and that is why perhaps Sudhakaran, who was brought in by the party high command much against the wishes of the once powerful top brass of Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala, first response after taking over is that he would bring in a semi-cadre culture in his party.
73-year-old Sudhakaran, a Congress MP from Kannur and one who hails from the CPI-M bastion of Kannur district is perhaps the only Congress leader who the CPI-M leadership fears, has been often winning whenever he takes on the CPI-M.
After about six months now since Sudhakaran took over, there have been a few brushes between Sudhakaran and CPI-M's topmost leader, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and each time he opens his mouth to attack the CPI-M leadership on political or other issues, the CPI-M turns jittery.
A media critic on condition of anonymity said, "The word cadre means a lot and it's through that the CPI-M is able to maintain strict discipline and there is not a word spoken against the leadership and if someone does, then it's curtains for such big mouthed people in the CPI-M. Sudhakaran knows it very well and that's why he continues to speak of bringing in a culture of discipline," said the critic.
"Just look, there is not a single word that one hears when the CPI-M decides on anything. Look into the controversial pet project of Vijayan, K-Rail. Is there a single word which is spoken against this from the ruling Left. Just imagine it would have been a free for all if the Congress had brought in such a project. We would have seen protests, numerous press conferences and even maligning of leaders even from the Congress party itself. In the bargain, the common man is confused and feels those behind the project have ulterior motives and mind you, the CPI-M, till date has not accepted any project that the Congress has brought," added the critic.
Whenever this question has been posed to the Congress leaders, why is that the party is divided on the basic issues and their leaders speak in different tones, the stock answer so far has been, "we are a party where there is democracy and party members can air their opinion freely".
But it's here that Sudhakaran's statement of making the state unit into a semi-cadre party holds some hope for the party and he has already started to wield the rod of discipline. To take it forward strongly, he has put in place a disciplinary Committee, headed by senior legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakarishnan.
Sudhakaran, according to a source in the know of things, is determined that he will not allow the grand old party in Kerala, which has been badly bruised after it lost the last Assembly polls, to sit in the opposition benches for a second successive five-year term. It's here that he has started to imbibe some things from his arch rivals, which is quintessential for the Congress to move forward.
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