THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Caught between a powerful chief minister and an influential group within the party, the Congress high command has decided to put on hold the selection of the KPCC president for the time being, as the contest for the post has become increasingly intense.
The high command is learnt to have communicated to incumbent KPCC president Sunny Joseph that he should become more active in organisational matters. Sunny was present at Indira Bhavan on Wednesday evening, fuelling speculation that he would continue in the post for some more time.
“D K Shivakumar held the post of Karnataka PCC president during the two-and-a-half years when he was the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. Revanth Reddy also continued as PCC president for several months after taking over as the Chief Minister of Telangana,” Sunny Joseph told TNIE.
Sunny was appointed KPCC president on May 8, 2025, succeeding K Sudhakaran.
The stiff contest among leaders aspiring for the post and the lobbying they have been carrying out have reportedly prompted the national leadership to put the selection process on hold. The high command is understood to be wary of taking a decision that could upset the existing power equations in the Keralam unit or trigger fresh factional tensions.
The delay has come as a setback to front-runners Benny Behanan, Kodikkunnil Suresh and Ajay Tharayil, who have been approaching senior and influential leaders seeking support. The contest became more intense after Revenue Minister A P Anil Kumar, considered close to K C Venugopal, also figured in the list of aspirants.
According to Congress sources, neither of the two leaders whose positions carry considerable weight in the selection - Chief Minister V D Satheesan and AICC organisational general secretary K C Venugopal - has backed any particular candidate.
Satheesan has reportedly told the high command that the new party chief should work in tandem with the government. Venugopal, meanwhile, has left the decision to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.
The AICC leadership is also dealing with several political and organisational challenges at the national level. The Congress is preparing for the next phase of protests against the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), while Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders have shifted their attention to the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The party is also engaged in seat-sharing discussions and candidate selection in the poll-bound states.