The Congress is planning to lure “disgruntled elements” in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in a bid to diversify and strengthen the United Democratic Front (UDF) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
It was part of the ‘Mission 24’ declaration made at the valedictory event of the two-day ‘Navsankalp Chintan Shivir’ that concluded here on Sunday. Though the declaration did not name any political party, it indicated the party’s reported efforts to bring back the Kerala Congress (Mani) and the Loktantrik Janata Dal to the UDF.
While making the announcement, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran said that political parties that followed Leftist ideology would find it difficult to function within the LDF, which was pursuing extreme right wing views. The UDF would welcome parties that “cannot sacrifice their political identity.”
The declaration targeted “scam-ridden” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who it said, could not have continued in his post without the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. The Congress alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Kerala had become vassals of the NDA government at the Centre, as free thought and freedom of expression were being curbed here as well. The BJP and the CPI(M) were found to help each other as they had entered into a “secret package.”
Kerala was found to be neck deep in debt because of the financial mismanagement of the LDF government. The non-budgetary borrowings by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) had put a burden on the State.
The party sought organisational changes. Restructuring of the party committees would be taken up according to the schedule declared by the All India Congress Committee. Training programmes would be launched for the party cadre in all districts.
Internal complaints committees would be formed to address complaints raised by women workers. Election management departments would be set up in the KPCC and district committees. Mr. Sudhakaran expressed the hope that the Congress and the UDF would be able to win all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the State by implementing the suggestions raised at the ‘shivir.’
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the party would inquire into some senior leaders skipping the two-day meeting. Former KPCC presidents Mullappally Ramachandran and V.M. Sudheeran had not attended the brainstorming sessions, reportedly due to their differences with the current Congress leadership in the State.
