Date:29/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/29/stories/2007012912650100.htm

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Congress leaders to hold talks on revamp

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy and United Democratic Front (UDF) convener P.P. Thankachan left for Delhi on Sunday for consultations on the reorganisation of the State unit of the party. They will hold talks with Union Ministers A.K. Antony and Vayalar Ravi and Congress Working Committee member in charge of Kerala affairs Veerappa Moily on the nomination of district presidents of the party.

The discussions will be based on a panel of names drawn up by the State leaders.

It is not clear whether the leaders would be able to finalise the names for all the 14 posts of district presidents, as considerable differences exist among the party leaders on the issue. If an agreement were thrashed out, the list would only need the approval of party president Sonia Gandhi before announcement. It is likely that the high command would insist on an early decision, as the party's functioning at lower levels depends on early reorganisation of the party fora.

After the district presidents are nominated, the party hopes to proceed with the appointment of lower-level functionaries. The new district presidents will take the lead in reconstituting booth-level and constituency-level committees. The party is supposed to have about 12,000 booth-level committees in each district. Most of these are not functional. So, the district presidents would have to virtually oversee their formation before the office-bearers can be decided. Changes are also contemplated at the KPCC level once the other choices are finalised. While Mr. Chennithala will remain as president, there would be some changes among officer-bearers, party sources said. The revamp will also cover feeder organisations such as the Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress.