Congress sets up executive committee for Kerala

NEW DELHI: Congress veteran K Karunakaran's son and daughter K Muraleedharan and Padmaja Venugopal figure along with senior leaders A K Antony, Vayalar Ravi, Chief Minister Oomen Chandy and PCC chief Ramesh Chennithala in the 105-member list of Kerala Pradesh Executive Committee.

The list also includes party MP Peethampara Kurup, who was in controversy recently over molestation charges by actress Shweta Menon, which were later withdrawn by her.

The jumbo committee announced by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today, an exercise aimed at making the party fighting fit for next Lok Sabha polls, has tried to accommodate all factions of Kerala Congress giving representation to MPs and MLAs with an emphasis on youth.

Union Ministers Shashi Tharoor, K C Venugopal, Mullapally Ramachandran and K V Thomas are other prominent members in the committee with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha P J Kurien, party MP and spokesperson P C Chacko, Kodikunnil Suresh, M I Shanavas, K Sudhakaran and K P Dhanapalan.

P P Thankachan, the convener of United Democratic Front as well as former PCC chief Thennala G Balakrishna Pillai also find a place in the committee. Rahul Gandhi's pick and former AICC secretary Shanimol Usman is among the 12 women leaders in the list.