Tuesday, May 3 2005 08:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Rattled by the split in the party's Kerala unit, the Congress high command has directed the State leadership to "reactivate" the rank and file to tide over the present crisis, which it says is "temporary".

A day after the "I" faction in ruling Congress decided to chart its own course, the Central leadership has told senior State leaders to "reactivate the party from booth to top level" and chalk out new programmes and plans to energise the cadre, which is in a State of "confusion".

"Of course, there is confusion in the State unit. But it will soon fade out and the new outfit would not be able to sustain the momentum for long," UDF convenor P P Thankachan told sources in New Delhi.

Thankachan, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Thennala Balakrishna Pillai and State electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed held detailed discussions with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Kerala Ahmed Patel and the message they got was to go on an offensive to offset the crisis.

"We have been asked to chalk out programmes for the cadre to keep them engaged ahead of civic elections in the State. The KPCC executive will soon meet to give finishing touches to the programmes," he said.

In an attempt to avoid further erosion in its rank, the KPCC is also not planning any disciplinary action against those who attended the convention at Thrissur.

"We are trying our best to get them back. There will not be any disciplinary action for now and the strategy will be one of persuasion."