Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K. Sudhakaran has hit out against what he termed as a deliberate campaign to corner him, claiming that rumours about his health are being spread to politically sideline him. In a strongly worded statement, Sudhakaran alleged that a faction within the party is orchestrating this narrative, and suggested that a senior leader from the state is behind the move. His remarks come at a time when speculation is rife over a change in KPCC leadership, with reports suggesting that the Congress high command is considering appointing a new state party president. Sudhakaran has reportedly been summoned to Delhi for discussions, adding fuel to the ongoing political drama.
The timing of the turmoil is critical. With local body elections scheduled for later this year and the state assembly elections due early next year, the Congress in Kerala is grappling with deepening internal strife. Five prominent leaders, AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, former Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC President K. Sudhakaran, current Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, are said to be in contention for the chief ministerial face of the party.
Amid this power tussle, several Malayalam media outlets reported that the leadership of the Christian Church has urged AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal to ensure that the next KPCC president is a member of the Christian community. Names of Lok Sabha MP Anto Antony and MLA Sunny Joseph have reportedly been proposed for the post. The demand for a Christian leader is rooted in concerns about the lack of prominent Christian representation following the retirement of former Defence Minister and Kerala Chief Minister AK Antony from active politics and the demise of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The Congress is reportedly worried that the Christian vote bank could shift towards the BJP if the party does not address this vacuum.
At the same time, the party leadership is wary of alienating the Ezhava community, a significant OBC group, which could react adversely to the removal of Sudhakaran, who hails from that community. The BJP had made notable inroads into traditional Ezhava strongholds in the last Lok Sabha elections, posing a challenge to both the Congress and the CPI(M). Tensions escalated further when posters appeared in Aluva, Ernakulam, opposing the proposed leadership change. The posters, titled “Save Congress”, criticised the suggested replacements, claiming that grassroots workers were unfamiliar with Anto Antony and Sunny Joseph.
The Congress high command summoned KPCC President K. Sudhakaran to Delhi amid mounting speculation over his possible replacement, a move that has intensified factional infighting within the Kerala unit of the party.
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