The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appears to be descending further into disunity with its two legislators in the Assembly openly taking sides with the party's old guard in its fight against P.C. Chacko, incumbent president of the party's State unit.
Frustrated over the nominations by Mr. Chacko of his close aides to the various boards and corporations, the legislators have now decided to step up pressure on party supremo Sharad Pawar to address their concerns. A team comprising Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, Kuttanad legislator Thomas K. Thomas and NCP general secretary T.K. Peethambaran will once again meet Mr. Pawar in New Delhi on Thursday.
Confirming the move, Mr. Thomas said none of the issues raised with the national leadership during the earlier meetings had been addressed.
Four-member panel
“Our primary focus is to revive the four-member consultative committee, which has been mandated to take all crucial decisions regarding the party State unit. Constituted on a directive by Mr. Pawar, the committee members have not met even once and Mr. Chacko is taking all the decisions on his own, ignoring even the senior leaders,” he said.
The committee, according to him, comprised the two MLAs, Mr.Peethambaran and the party State president.
The meeting assumes significance especially in the wake of reports that a section of rebel leaders, including the likes of NCP secretary N.A. Muhammad Kutty, are weighing their future options. It also comes at a crucial time when a reorganisation of the party units in different levels is set to take place from August onwards.
“If the meeting once again fails to come up with a solid plan of action, we will have no other options but to quit the party,” said a senior party leader.
Charge against Chacko
The party unit has been witnessing an increasingly spiteful factional spat, with a section of leaders launching a stinging attack on Mr. Chacko, accusing him of attempting to bring the party under control by appointing his confidants in key positions.
The raging feud echoes a broader push by the old guard to curtail the influence of Mr. Chacko and his allies, who are mostly former Congress workers, over the State unit.
