The debacle of the Congress in the Kannur constituency, a traditional United Democratic Front (UDF) stronghold, has set the stage for factional activism in the district Congress in the coming days, as the party leadership here has promised to identify factors that led to the defeat of party candidate Satheeshan Pacheni by Congress(S) leader Ramachandran Kadannappally.
The defeat has already triggered speculation that District Congress Committee president K. Surendran is at the receiving end of criticism within the party for his handling of the issue of dissidence in the party. The Congress in the district has mainly two broad factions, one being led by K. Sudhakaran and the other comprising ‘A’ faction. Though the party leadership here puts up a brave face saying that the dissidence has in no way affected the electoral prospects in the Kannur constituency and elsewhere in the district, the rout of the Congress in Kannur has brought to limelight the troubled affairs in the district party leadership.
Rebel candidate
At the centre of the trouble was the challenge to the party leadership here by P.K. Ragesh, a loyalist-turned-foe of Mr. Sudhakaran during the local body election when he had contested and got elected as a rebel candidate in Kannur Corporation. In the Assembly election he contested as independent candidate in the Azhikode constituency. He could only manage to garner 1,518 votes in Azhikode.
“The UDF’s defeat in Kannur was unexpected, but it was not caused by the dissident candidates and undercurrents,” Mr. Surendran said adding that the factors that caused Mr. Pacheni’s defeat would be accurately examined. Action would be taken against those found responsible for his defeat, he said.
But circles close to Mr. Ragesh said that the dissidence had dealt a blow to the authoritarian style of Mr. Sudhakaran, who, they said, had gone to Uduma to contest fearing that Mr. Ragesh’s supporters would pose a threat if he chose to contest from the Kannur seat. The dissidence, thus, indirectly led to the defeat of Mr. Sudhakaran in Uduma.
The DCC leadership, however, said that the rebel problem had little impact in Irikkur, Peravur and Azhikode constituencies where K.C. Joseph, Sunny Joseph and K.M. Shaji respectively secured good victory.
Action will be taken against those found responsible for Satheeshan Pacheni’s defeat, says DCC president
