New Delhi

Youth Congress expels State general secretary

NEW DELHI: The Youth Congress, on Saturday, expelled its Kerala general secretary, S. Jaleel Mohammad, for speaking out against the reorganisation of the State unit of the organisation. The expulsion order came within hours of Mr. Mohammad going public with his criticism of the reorganisation.

According to Mr. Mohammad, the reorganisation is testimony to the fact that the “quota system” still prevails in the Kerala unit of the Congress, as eligibility norms have been ignored while making the appointments.

For some time now, it had been the Congress claim that the days of the “quota system” in the State unit of the party —for long divided into four groups with each having a sizable following — are over and the organisation functions as one unit.

Further, Mr. Mohammad alleged that the Congress leadership was not interested in generating a fresh crop of leaders, a policy that would not augur well for the party. Also, he charged Youth Congress State president T. Siddique with taking money to decide on the posts.

Mr. Karunakaran’s loyalists have dashed off letters to the general secretary in charge of frontal organisations, Rahul Gandhi, stating that they will not take charge till their grievances are taken note of and addressed.

Loyalists of Mr. Antony have got 60 block president posts. Erstwhile members of Mr. Karunakaran’s group who did not break away from the party along with their leader, came a distant second with 35 block president posts followed by Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala’s group (25) and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi’s loyalists (16).

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