KOCHI: A high-voltage power struggle, last-minute lobbying and factional brinkmanship kept the Congress on edge in Ernakulam, its traditional bastion, before the party finally sealed its candidate list for four constituencies late on Thursday.
Mohammed Shiyas (Kochi), Tony Chammany (Vypeen), Deepak Joy (Tripunithura) and Manoj Muthedan (Perumbavoor) emerged from a prolonged and tense selection process that exposed deep internal divisions in the party.
The announcement came only on the fifth day after the poll notification on March 15, with the party taking nearly 48 hours to break the deadlock over the four seats — an unusual delay in a district where candidate selection is typically smooth.
At the heart of the standoff was the Kochi constituency, where AICC general secretary K C Venugopal strongly backed KPCC general secretary Deepthi Mary Varghese. However, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan stood firm, insisting on fielding his close aide and Ernakulam DCC president Mohammed Shiyas.
Satheesan eventually prevailed, pushing through Shiyas’ candidature. The move also signals a strategic shift, with the Congress opting for a Muslim candidate in Kochi, a seat where it had traditionally fielded Latin Catholic leaders such as Dominic Presentation and Tony Chammany.
The party is banking on consolidating Muslim votes to strengthen its prospects against the LDF. “As the president of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC), Shiyas has created a good reputation. It will help us win the constituency,” said a source with the Congress party.
In a trade-off that underlines the factional balancing, Satheesan is learnt to have conceded the Vypeen seat. Former Kochi mayor Tony Chammany, considered close to Venugopal, was fielded, replacing Sharon Panackal, a Satheesan nominee whose name had been in contention till the final hours. The decision ensures representation for the Latin Catholic community.
Tripunithura too saw a tight internal contest, with the high command ultimately backing K Babu’s nominee Deepak Joy over Raju P Nair, who reportedly enjoyed the support of Rahul Gandhi. The constituency is set for a keen fight, with CPM’s K N Unnikrishnan taking on Deepak Joy. The two had previously faced off in the 2021 assembly polls in Vypeen, where Unnikrishnan emerged victorious.
Perumbavoor delivered the biggest surprise, with sitting MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly being dropped despite his perceived winnability. The party instead chose Manoj Muthedan, former Ernakulam district panchayat president.
Sources said Venugopal backed Manoj, while senior leader Ramesh Chennithala had strongly supported Eldhose. The decision triggered protests among local Congress workers in Perumbavoor, who took out rallies demanding Eldhose’s reinstatement.
