Congress faces twin crises in Payyannur, Taliparamba

The Congress is grappling with a deepening internal crisis in Payyannur and Taliparamba Assembly constituencies ahead of the elections; because opposition within the party ranks threatens to disrupt campaign harmony.

In Payyannur, former Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader V. Kunhikrishnan refused to attend United Democratic Front committee meetings, reportedly fearing that such participation could cost him potential CPI(M) votes. His stance came under criticism within the Congress, as party leaders saw it as an impediment to coordinated election efforts.

Adding to the unrest, Youth Congress workers intensified their demands to field Kannur district vice president Farzin Majeed. To solve the problem, a meeting was held in Payyannur under the chairmanship of the District Congress Committee chairman.

The party is facing a similar rebellion in Taliparamba, with some sections opposing the decision to support TK Govindan. A faction within the party has called for the candidacy of Youth Congress district president Vigil Mohanan, reflecting the growing dissatisfaction at the grassroots level.

Mr Mohanan said demand for an official party candidate was increasing locally. He added that there had been no official discussion or announcement regarding the candidacy in the constituency.

The Youth Congress election committee convened an emergency meeting on Saturday to deliberate on the issue as the party leadership moved to contain opposition and maintain unity.