Kerala: Antony asks Congress leaders to end infighting, work to strengthen the party

Amidst squabbling in the party over selection of DCC presidents, CWC member and former Chief Minister AK Antony asked state Congress leaders on Sunday to end infighting and work to strengthen the party's eroded mass base. "The mass base of the party and also that of leaders has eroded. The leaders should end infighting and work to strengthen the party," he told reporters on Thiruvananthapuram.

He pointed out if the leaders fight each other, they would not get the youth to join the party to strengthen it. "Party workers should work more practically and study the issues before making comments," he said.

Antony's statement comes at a time when former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is scheduled to meet Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on matters connected with organisational restructure in the state. Chandy, who had kept away from the party's political affairs committee meeting on Saturday, had said in a Facebook post that he would meet Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on January 17.

He had said that some media reports connected with his stand on the reorganisation issue were contrary to facts and some were even exaggerated and that he had not said anything on the selection of DCC presidents. "But I have some clear views on the matter and that I will convey to the leadership," he had said. Chandy had concluded the post by saying that people in Kerala wish to strengthen the party led United Democratic Front and also the part and "in that process I will be in the forefront".