New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 17 (IANS) The AICC on Thursday announced a new Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee consisting of 13 vice presidents, 58 general secretaries, and the Political Affairs Committee has been expanded with six additional members.

MPs Rajmohan Unnithan, V. K. Sreekandan, Dean Kuriakosen, besides three former MLAs – Pandalom Sudhakaran, A.K. Mani and C.P. Mohammed have been inducted into the Political Affairs Committee.

The decision, approved by the Congress president and later announced in a press release issued by K. C. Venugopal.

The new vice presidents are T. Sarathchandra Prasad, Hibi Eden, Palode Ravi, V. T. Balram, V.P. Sajindran, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, D. Sugathan, Ramya Haridas, M. Liju, A.A. Shukkoor, M. Vincent, Roy K. Paulose and Jaison Joseph. Notably, Sandeep Warrier, who quit the BJP during the Palakkad by-election last year, has been appointed a general secretary.

M. Liju has been elevated from the organisation’s general secretary to vice president.

Palode Ravi, who had stepped down as Thiruvananthapuram DCC president, has also been appointed vice president.

D. Sugathan, known for his proximity to Vellappally Natesan, is among the new appointees.

V.A. Narayanan will serve as KPCC treasurer.

The AICC leadership released the list without naming secretaries, bringing clarity to long-pending organisational decisions.

Meanwhile, Maryapuram Sreekumar, G. Subodhanan and G.S. Babu have been removed from their posts.

N. Shaktan, in charge of the Thiruvananthapuram DCC and a vice president, has also been dropped.

The move, seen as a major organisational revamp, is expected to strengthen the state unit ahead of upcoming local body polls to be announced shortly and the assembly polls to be held in April/May next year.

Over the years, it has been the practice of appointing a committee, as the party in Kerala has long been under the clutches of faction leaders, with each of the factions getting adequate representation.

–IANS

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