Terming his appointment as president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) a big challenge, Mullappally Ramachandran, MP, has said he will not tolerate indiscipline and will not mind initiating stern action against those violating party policies.
“That does not mean that I will be authoritarian. I am a strict disciplinarian following certain principles and I have no vested interests. All India Congress Commttee president Rahul Gandhi has warned me against leaders speaking against each other in public and violating party discipline, ” Mr. Ramachandran told The Hindu over phone from New Delhi.
In bad shape
Asked about the present organisational status of the Congress in Kerala, Mr. Ramachandran said the party machinery was weak and in bad shape.
“It has been lying dormant for quite some time. Workers at the grassroots are demoralised. We have to regain the support of people with secular credentials and who have zero tolerance to corruption,” he said. Mr. Ramachandran, a seven-time Lok Sabha MP, currently represents the Vadakara constituency.
From tomorrow
The 73-year-old Congress leader, who will fly down to the State capital to take charge at 12 noon at Indira Bhavan in the State capital on Thursday, said he was confident of taking along all party leaders.
Appointing K. Sudhakaran, M.I. Shanavas and Kodikunnil Suresh as working presidents and anointing K. Muraleedharan as head of the campaign wing would not cast a shadow over his powers.
Rahul’s directive
“I believe in a democratic set-up, with each leader playing a distinct role. I will not encroach upon their autonomy and functional freedom. I was asked by Mr. Gandhi to build the image of the party and not individuals, ” he said, adding he was never in the race for the post.
“May be it has been long due since former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had appreciated my integrity and loyalty. Perhaps the time has come now,” he said.
CPI(M) the main threat
He said the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] had been the biggest threat to the Congress.
Recently the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as a potential threat by garnering 10-14% of votes in the last Assembly elections.
“Mine is a 24x7 job. But this challenge is an opportunity also,” he said.