THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The demand to oust Lathika Subash has intensified within the Congress party. Already two groups have been formed within the party over supporting and rejecting Lathika’s action of shaving her head over denying a seat for assembly elections. A section of party leaders allege that it is the state leadership who are the real accused and they failed to convince Lathika Subash why the seat was denied to her?

It is also alleged that Lathika Subash’s action has reduced the sheen of candidature list published by Congress party, on which 55 percent of representation was given to new faces which was a first in the history of state Congress. Leaders fear that Lathika’s action will impact all 140 constituencies during the poll campaign. Even after fielding nine women candidates, Congress might still get the tag of a misogynistic party due to Lathika’s action. Meanwhile, the leadership is still groping in the dark, without devising a strategy to justify the whole issue.

Lathika Subash was present at the KPCC office to express her dissent from yesterday morning 11 am. “Even after expressing dissent through the media, nobody from the party talked to her”, a group of Mahila Congress leaders alleged. Even though she attempted to call KPCC chief Mullapally Ramachandran, that effort ended in vain.

Majority among the leaders allege that if she is ousted from the party, it will further reduce the party’s prospects. However it has also been decided not to fall for the pressure imposed by Lathika’s actions. KPCC will only take subsequent action on high command’s direction. The central leadership has expressed grave dissatisfaction over the issue.