Congress veteran PC Chacko quit the party today alleging groupism and complaining that there was “no democracy left” in the Congress. His abrupt resignation came as a huge shock to the Congress in Kerala just days before polls next month.
He announced this afternoon that he had quit the Congress and had sent his resignation to chief Sonia Gandhi.
Mr Chacko, 74, one of the Congress’s top faces and spokespersons, is a former MP from Thrissur in Kerala.
Accusing his party of ignoring state leaders in the selection of candidates for the April 6 Kerala polls, Mr Chacko said: “There is no democracy left in Congress. The list of candidates has not been discussed with the state Congress committee. There are no panels for any discussions on polls, winnability of candidates. There have always been factions in parities, even in the Congress, but there is no point anymore. I have submitted my resignation to Sonia Gandhi.”
Pressing his point on factionalism in the Kerala Congress unit, he wondered caustically whether votes would be counted or announced as “Congress(I) and Congress (A)”.