The schism within the State unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has deepened with no truce in sight between the warring factions.
An attempt by NCP chief Sharad Pawar to resolve the growing discord between Kuttanad MLA Thomas K. Thomas and State president P.C. Chacko over the appointment of party Alappuzha district president yielded no breakthrough.
Mr. Thomas has been at loggerheads with Mr. Chacko over the latter’s ‘autocratic style’ of running the party. The infighting took a turn for the worse after Mr. Chacko appointed Sadath Hameed as the party Alappuzha district president. Mr. Thomas openly opposed the decision and lashed out at the State president for interfering in his home district. He wanted to retain N. Santhosh Kumar in the post and nominated him for another term.
The conciliatory meeting in Mumbai called by Mr. Pawar was attended by Mr. Chacko, Mr. Thomas, and party senior leader Praful Patel.
Thomas’s take
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Thomas said Mr. Chacko’s adamant stand was creating problems. “He is interfering in my home district where 90% of the party workers are supporting me. He wants to destroy me politically. I will not accept the person nominated by the State president to the post of the party’s Alappuzha district president. I have given two names — N. Santhosh Kumar and R. Sajeev — to the NCP national leadership for the post.”
Mr. Chacko vehemently opposed the names and wants to make his nominee district president at all costs. He threatened the party president and offered to quit as State president if his nominee is not made district president. “I have informed the leadership that I will not accept Chacko as the State president if they reject the names proposed by me,” Mr. Thomas said, adding that he would accept the post of party State president if offered.
Chacko’s stance
Mr. Chacko, meanwhile, said the issue pertaining to the appointment of the party Alappuzha district president had been resolved. “The NCP national president has accepted the appointment of Sadath Hameed. Mr. Pawar asked Mr. Thomas to accept the person appointed by the State president. He categorically made it clear the issue will not be reopened,” Mr. Chacko told The Hindu while denying that he offered to quit.
