In this image by @INCIndia via X on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025,
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with LoP in the Lok Sabha and party
leader Rahul Gandhi, party leaders KC Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and
others during a meeting with party leaders from Kerala, in New Delhi.
(@INCIndia on X via PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted on Sunday that the party's
leaders from Kerala "stand as one" and are "united" by the
light of purpose ahead.
His assertion came after the Congress top brass met leaders
from Kerala at the Indira Bhawan here for a brainstorming session on Friday to
discuss the strategy and way forward ahead of next year's Assembly polls.
Posting a picture from the Kerala leaders' interaction with
the media after the meeting, Gandhi said on Facebook: "They stand as one,
united by the light of purpose ahead." His post was accompanied by the
hashtag, "Team Kerala".
The nearly-three-hour meeting at the Congress's Indira
Bhawan headquarters here on Friday had discipline, unity and the strengthening
of the state organisation as its running theme.
Close on the heels of a row over its MP Shashi Tharoor's
recent remarks, the Congress top brass issued a stern warning to its Kerala
leaders, asserting that strong action will be taken against those making comments
that go against the party's interests.
At the meeting, Gandhi said leaders should be very careful
about the party's political strategy and should not do or say anything that
does not toe the organisation's line, according to sources.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge laid stress on
discipline, ensuring unity and filling up vacant posts to strengthen the
party's Kerala unit.
Besides Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary K C
Venugopal, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kerala Congress chief K
Sudhakaran, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Kerala Assembly V D
Satheesan, Thiruvananthapuram MP Tharoor and AICC in-charge of Kerala Deepa
Dasmunshi, among others, were present at the meeting.
"We got a clear indication from our high-command that
the Congress is very much connected with the people of Kerala emotionally and
politically. People are looking for a change, so we should not do anything that
will disrespect the people of Kerala.
"This was a clear indication and if anyone (says)
anything personally, we will take strong action. Because we have no right to
disrespect the people of Kerala," Dasmunshi told reporters after the
meeting.
The meeting with the senior leaders from Kerala came close
on the heels of a row over Tharoor's recent article in a newspaper that drew
criticism from some party leaders over the former Union minister's
"praise" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the
southern state for boosting the investment climate.
Later, Tharoor's remarks in a Malayalam podcast were seen by
many as pitching himself for leadership in the state, which upset a section of
leaders in the Kerala Congress.
The Congress is the main opposition party in Kerala and is
seeking to wrest power from the LDF.
The Assembly polls are due in Kerala in March-April next
year.
