KANNUR: The UDF suffered a serious setback in one of the most intense electoral battles witnessed in the state. Discontent is brewing in the Congress against a section of the state leaders. The party activists are going to the BJP because the state leaders are incompetent, said Congress leader and Kannur MP K Sudhakaran. The growth of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram is a major flaw of the congress. The KPCC lacks commanding leadership and the party needs a leadership that goes beyond recommendation and personal interests, he said.

Sudhakaran said Jose K Mani’s Group leaving the front proved fatal. Expelling Mani Congress suffered a setback in central Kerala. A major section is with Jose K Mani. They shouldn’t have been expelled, this was my stand then and now. If possible they should be brought back to the congress before the assembly elections, he said.

Disunity in the party and the front backfired. The RMP's feeling of being insulted in Kallamala also backfired. The relationship with the Welfare Party benefited and expressed his gratitude on it. The statements of Mullappally without discussing in the party are not those of the Congress, he said.

A change is needed in the KPCC and district levels. The high command should directly intervene in the re-organisation. I will go to Delhi and inform all these to Rahul Gandhi. Leaders should protect districts. An introspection is needed on the party’s debacle in districts of Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala. This time I didn’t go to other places in order to protect my own district. A leader who could not produce results in his own district is irrelevant in the state politics, he said.