Congress can retain power in Kerala: Rahul Gandhi

There is "a sense of confidence" in the Congress party in Kerala that it can retain power in the next assembly polls, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said Wednesday.

Aaddressing party leaders at the state party headquarters here, Gandhi expressed confidence that his party can do well both in the next year's elections to the local bodies and the state assembly polls in 2016.

"The state government and the party are doing a commendable job, even while there are little issues which will be resolved. There is a sense of confidence that the Congress party can do well in these two elections, but a lot of work has to be done," said Gandhi.

Gandhi arrived in the capital city Tuesday evening to take part in the valedictory function of the Janapaksha Yatra of state party chief V.M. Sudheeran that passed through all the 140 assembly constituencies in the state.

Gandhi was briefed that things are not rosy by various party leaders and also by the allies of the Congress led United Democratic Front Tuesday night.

The simmering discontent between Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Sudheeran and the two being at loggerhead over the new liquor policy was brought to Gandhi's notice.

Gandhi said: "We do have individual perspectives but the idea should be to put the party before everything else."

He also pointed out that the principal opposition party in Kerala, the CPI-M, also has internal issues and it's unlikely that it will be able to resolve these.

Before ending his brief address, he reiterated that the Congress here should work to ensure that it becomes the instrument of the people. He called for empowering people and not allowing power to be concentrated in the hands of a few.

In Kerala's history, no ruling party has retained power. Over the years, after every assembly polls, power alternates between the CPI-M-led Left Front and the Congress led United Democratic Front.

Before leaving for Delhi after winding up his two-day visit to the capital city, Gandhi has promised that he will return and spend more days here.