The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala has intensified its criticism of K C Venugopal, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of organisation, accusing him of acting to undermine the Congress on a national scale. Venugopal, a Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha and an influential figure within the Congress, has increasingly found himself at the centre of a political battle in which both the Congress and CPI(M) share a common anxiety: the rise and strategic expansion of the BJP. Although the Congress serves as the principal Opposition party in Kerala, Venugopal’s national stature and expanding influence in the state have sparked unease, not only among rival parties but also within his own faction-ridden state unit. Meanwhile, the CPI(M), despite being a partner of the INDI Alliance nationally, has escalated its attacks on Venugopal, signalling a deeper strategic tension within the anti-BJP coalition.
CPI(M)’s ‘Trojan Horse’ charge and the shadow of the BJP
The Left’s most recent strike came from senior CPM leader and state Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty, who branded Venugopal a “Trojan horse” working in tandem with the BJP to “destroy” the Congress from within. Sivankutty accused Venugopal of misleading Rahul Gandhi and shaping an organisational direction that, according to him, would weaken the Congress across states, a line of attack that underscores how both the CPI(M) and Congress fear any missteps that might strengthen the BJP politically.
Sivankutty’s outburst followed Venugopal’s allegation that the Pinarayi Vijayan government was implementing BJP-inspired policies in Kerala. The immediate flashpoint was the state education department’s decision to adopt the Centre’s PM SHRI scheme in Kerala schools, a move that triggered criticism from within the Left itself and was subsequently put on hold. Venugopal had also pointed to the LDF government’s earlier attempt to operationalise the Centre’s new labour codes, a sensitive issue given the Left’s vehement opposition to the codes at the national level. Sivankutty, who had overseen the notification of certain labour code-related rules in 2021, dismissed Venugopal’s criticism but faced renewed questions about whether the Kerala government had inadvertently mirrored the BJP’s policy framework. The exchange placed the BJP, yet again, at the centre of Kerala’s political contestation, with both major state players accusing each other of advancing the saffron party’s interests.
Venugopal’s growing influence and congress’s internal calculus
At 62, K C Venugopal has emerged as one of the most powerful Congress leaders from Kerala on the national stage. His deep involvement in Kerala’s politics, even while holding a crucial organisational post in Delhi, has unsettled rival groups within the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). Many within the party believe Venugopal’s expanding authority since 2019, when he assumed the role of AICC general secretary (organisation), has reshaped internal power equations and positioned him as a potential contender for the chief ministership, if the Congress-Muslim League led United Democratic Front (UDF) returns to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
His sustained engagement in state-level matters has invigorated his supporters but triggered apprehension among other senior leaders, including LoP V D Satheesan and veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala, both considered aspirants for the top post. Venugopal’s visible presence in local issues, his role in organisational restructuring, and his growing grassroots network have consolidated his standing at a time when the Congress is under pressure to withstand the BJP’s national rise and defend its regional bastions.
Earlier this month, when the INDI Alliance suffered a demoralising defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections, the CPI(M) in Kerala pointed fingers at Venugopal, claiming he had prioritised strengthening his position in Kerala over bolstering the anti-BJP alliance in Bihar. State CPI(M) secretary M V Govindan argued that Venugopal should have focused on fortifying the bloc to counter the BJP-led NDA.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when K C Venugopal, then a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, chose to enter the fray from Alappuzha, the CPI(M) attacked the move as one that would ultimately “benefit the BJP”. The Left argued that if Venugopal won and resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the resulting vacancy could allow the BJP to add another seat to its already strong presence in the Upper House. This narrative was pushed aggressively among constituency’s Muslim voters, with the CPI(M) warning that a vote for Venugopal could indirectly strengthen the BJP’s national parliamentary position. However, Venugopal defeated the incumbent LDF MP A. M. Ariff by a margin of 63,513 votes, securing 4,04,560 votes against the CPI(M)’s 3,41,047. Notably, the NDA candidate, Shobha Surendran of the BJP, delivered a striking performance in a traditionally bipolar constituency, finishing a close third with 2,99,648 votes, an unprecedented surge for the BJP in Alappuzha. The NDA’s impressive vote share signalled the party’s expanding appeal in Kerala’s coastal belt, suggesting that the BJP’s presence in the constituency had grown strong enough to challenge the old Congress–Left duopoly.
Kerala CPIM’s attacks and Venugopal’s electoral ambitions; KPCC hits back
With local body elections approaching in December, widely regarded as a litmus test ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, Venugopal has been actively touring Kerala, attending panchayat-level conventions and engaging directly with grassroots workers. His expanded activity has fuelled speculation that he is positioning himself as the Congress’s chief ministerial face, though he has publicly dismissed such claims, saying his involvement is not driven by ambition for any “chair.” The CPI(M), however, views his growing influence through the lens of competition within the wider anti-BJP space.
In response to the Left’s attacks, KPCC working president P C Vishnunath defended Venugopal, questioning the CPI(M)’s unease. He argued that Venugopal’s stewardship coincided with the Congress’s victories in Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh. Regarding the Bihar elections, Vishnunadh pointed out that Venugopal had spent 17 days on the ground, while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, despite being part of the Mahagathbandhan through the Left, did not campaign even for a single day. For Congress leaders, the CPI(M)’s criticism reflects political insecurity rather than ideological conviction.
As the political crossfire in Kerala intensifies, one reality has become impossible for either the Congress or the CPI(M) to ignore that the BJP is no longer a distant threat but an expanding force whose growing vote share, assertive organisational strength and increasing visibility are reshaping the state’s political equations. Whether in the CPI(M)’s warnings about Venugopal’s increasing presence, the Congress’s internal anxieties, or the NDA’s remarkable rise in the state, the saffron party’s ascent looms over every strategic calculation.
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