Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has sought ground zero reports from districts on conduct of poll campaign and pitfalls, if any, leading up to the voting day on April 10.

Party committees at the district-level have been asked to submit their reports not later than Tuesday (April 22), as per a decision arrived at a meeting of the KPCC executive committee here on Thursday.

‘Campaign compromised’ The directive comes against the backdrop of alleged incidents of factionalism and one-upmanship having undermined the overall campaign effort at a few places in the State.

This appeared to be exactly what is engaging KPCC’s mind in as much as it has asked district committees to report on ‘indifferent attitude’ of leaders, groups or local party organisations to the campaign.

Pathanamthitta constituency was the first to court controversy after candidate and sitting member Anto Antony pointed fingers at the ‘dubious’ strategy adopted there by Government Chief Whip PC George.

George belongs to ruling coalition member Kerala Congress (Mani) and happens to be the strongman from the Poonjar constituency that he represents in the State Assembly.

Discord in Alappuzha But both KPCC president VM Sudheeran and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy have apparently given a clean chit to George, a controversial figure in Kerala politics by his own right.

Another flare-up has been reported from Alappuzha where KC Venugopal, sitting member and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, is fighting a tough battle.

It is learnt that the district committee has already written to the KPCC citing the case of sulking local leader Shanimol Usman who is a Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee.

The report alleged that prominent leaders including Usman had intentionally kept away from the campaign and had even connived with vested interests with the intention of polarising votes along communal lines.

Usman has been quick to react and flatly denied the allegations. She explained away her absence saying her position as an office-bearer of the party at the national level may have required her presence elsewhere from time to time.

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