PC Chacko resigns from Congress, alleges groupism in Kerala unit

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

Senior Congress leader from Kerala and former party in charge for Delhi PC Chacko on Wednesday quit the party saying it lacked internal democracy.

Chacko, a former MP, considered close to the Gandhis, also said the party was ridden with factionalism and there was no place for merit and capabilities.

He said the Kerala CP Fred’s stood divided between Oomen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala groups and no resolution was happening in larger party interest.

“I’ve sent my resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The party can’t be run on one central pole or force anymore. There’s no democracy in Congress,” said Chacko who was trusted enough by Sonia Gandhi to be appointed the chairman of the joint parliamentary committee to probe 2G spectrum allocation in UPA 2.

Chacko has not yet revealed his future plans but is expected to join the NCP, said sources.

He’s the second senior Kerala Congress leader to quit after Tom Vadakkan who went on to join the BJP.

Meanwhile, Chacko’s resignation comes close after Rahul Gandhi told an Indian Youth Congress conference that leaders were free to leave and the party would continue opposing the BJP and RSS.

The exit of Chacko, however, indicates fragility of the Congress in Kerala from where Rahul Gandhi is an MP.

The development doesn’t augur well for the Congress which continues to face questions on the leadership of the Gandhis and also continues to face defections.

Inaccessibility of leaders to Sonia Gandhi, concentration of power in the office of Rahul Gandhi and a weakening political narrative are matters of growing concern to Congress leaders within and several are waiting for the results of upcoming state elections to take their respective decisions on which way to go.