Factions at War: KPCC Office-Bearer List Fuels Party Turmoil

Thiruvananthapuram: The release of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office-bearers’ jumbo list has intensified internal party conflicts, exposing deep divisions and dissatisfaction among senior leaders. Several prominent figures have openly protested by staying away from party programs, signaling growing unrest within the ranks.
After extensive internal discussions and debates, the new list of KPCC office-bearers was finally published. It includes 58 general secretaries and 13 vice presidents, while six new members were added to the Political Affairs Committee, which has 34 members. However, the party has not yet announced the secretaries due to continuing disagreements.
Allegations have surfaced that the reshuffle favors K.C. Venugopal’s dominant faction. The exclusion of prominent youth leaders has drawn sharp criticism. Leaders such as Rijo Makkutti, Riyaz Mukkoli, N.S. Nusur, and S.M. Balu were omitted, while only K.S. Shabarinath secured a position, leaving younger cadres frustrated. Recommendations from Shafi Parampil were accepted, but proposals from senior leader K. Muraleedharan were reportedly rejected.
Concerns over marginalized community representation have also emerged. Dalit communities appear to have been entirely excluded, and no members of the Ezhava community were included in the Political Affairs Committee, prompting criticism from social observers.
The appointments of Sandeep Warrier, a recent entrant from the BJP, as general secretary, and Ravi Palode as vice president, have further fueled dissent. Additionally, the inclusion of M. Vincent, facing rape allegations, has sparked objections within the party.
Chandy Oommen, who anticipated an appointment as general secretary, boycotted a KPCC program. National spokesperson Shama Muhammad mocked the leadership on social media, questioning, “Is ability even a criterion?” Senior leader like K. Muraleedharan and K. Sudhakaran also voiced dissatisfaction openly. Mahila Congress leader Bindu Krishna has similarly raised objections. In response, KPCC is reportedly engaging personally with dissenting leaders to address grievances.
KPCC President Sunny Joseph expressed hope that including the dissenting leaders in the upcoming selection of secretaries would help resolve the crisis. Following the formula of two secretaries per general secretary, nearly ninety names are expected to be included in the final list.
The publication of vice president and general secretary lists has also sparked widespread satire on social media. Many of the sarcastic posts come from Congress workers themselves. Trolls have humorously welcomed the KPCC list with the remark: ‘Everyone in our party is a leader.’"
Social media users have joked about the difficulty of remembering the names and positions of office-bearers. One post quipped that even ChatGPT could not identify a Congress leader who is not a general secretary, asking, “Any simpler question?” Other viral posts include, “After reading the new list, Youth Congress leaders fainted,” and “Attention to those reading the list, if my name is noticed, please inform me, phone number below.”