THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Congress expelled Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, and as the aura around his mentor Shafi Parambil fades, the party’s factional map is being ripped apart and redrawn. The once prominent power axis that ran the organisation, has started to crumble almost overnight, triggering realignment inside the party.
Sidelined youth leaders, who had long been suppressed, have seized the moment and asserted themselves. Congress insiders say that this is only the beginning of a deeper shake up as various factions attempt to reposition themselves in the changed political landscape.
Emboldened by Rahul’s exit and Shafi’s diminishing clout, a group of youth leaders is reportedly uniting across factional lines to challenge the organisation’s ‘celebrity culture’. Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan’s Facebook post on Friday, is seen as an indicator of this emerging realignment. In his post, Mathew urged the party to reflect on the Rahul episode, warning that artificial creation of celebrity politicians undermines organisational values.
Taking a subtle dig at Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, he said, “When political work is handed over to celebrities, they tend to protect individuals as part of a commercial mindset rather than safeguarding the party. It is time for internal cleansing in Congress.”
Several youth leaders such as T Siddique, V T Balaram, C R Mahesh, M Liju, Chandy Oommen, and Abin Varkey reportedly align with this view point. Many of them had earlier opposed the ‘reel culture’ promoted by the Shafi- Rahul duo during the Nilambur by-election.
“These leaders now share the common sentiment of ordinary workers. They recognise that if celebrity- reel driven political culture dominates, people will abandon the Congress,” said a senior leader.
Meanwhile, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, though out of power for almost four years, is gaining support among leaders for his stern stand against the new power axis. MLAs such as Anvar Sadat, T J Vinod, Eldos Kunnapally, I C Balakrishnan, Sajeev Joseph share Chennithala’s stance.
Satheesan camp which is now reduced to a few loyalists with him such as M Vincent MLA, has also begun maneuvering to reclaim lost ground. An online article critical to both Shafi and UDF convenor Adoor Prakash for protecting Rahul is seen as an attempt to regain the influence.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, has emerged as a unifying figure, accepted by youth leaders and the divided ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups. “Many previously ineffectual leaders have now sought shelter under him,” said a senior party leader.