Thiruvananthapuram: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who held talks with the eight party MPs from Kerala in New Delhi on Wednesday, is keen on taking serious damage-control measures to revive the party in the state. He was concerned about former chief minister Oommen Chandy being sidelined and about his unwillingness to take up any post in the party. Mr Rahul met the MPs following the demand made by Wayanad MP M. I. Shahnavas to present their views before the AICC leadership.

Mr Rahul Gandhi held talks with the MPs separately also and spent more time with Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. The three senior leaders, including Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and PCC chief V. M. Sudheeran have collective responsibility on the poll debacle, he said.

“Rahul Gandhi is upset over the fact that Chandy is not keen to take up any post. No decision has been taken on Sudheeran’s post,” said a Congress leader from New Delhi.

Seven KPCC secretaries are camping in New Delhi to meet Mr Gandhi. Mr Chennithala and Mr Chandy had sent them representing the two factions demanding that Mr Sudheeran should be removed from the PCC post. While Mr P. A. Salim represents the ‘A’ faction, Neyyatinkara Sanal, R. Rethi Kumar, Zakir Hussain, Pazhakulam Mdhu, M. M. Nazeer and I. K. Raju represent the ‘I’ camp. They are expected to call on Mr Rahul Gandhi on Thursday to demand that they should be appointed as DCC presidents.