Groupism has been a major driving force for the state Congress and party insiders are of the view that this gives considerable inner strength to workers since group managers look after their affairs which actually benefits the party. Right from the 1960s when the party was at the vanguard of the ‘Vimochana Samaram’ (liberation struggle), it has been plagued by rampant factionalism.
After the Congress managed to get the NSS, SNDP and the Muslim League(IUML) on board, it launched the liberation struggle with Mannath Padmanabhan, R Shankar and P T Chacko leading it. However, it was Pattom Thanupillai of the Praja Socialist Party(PSP) who became the Chief Minister only to make way for R Shankar later. Shankar became the CM and P T Chacko was made the Home Minister. Chacko resigned in 1963 following a sex scandal and later he ran for the KPCC chief’s post. But he lost following Shankar’s machinations. Chacko plotted another move but he passed away at the age of 49. His loyalists formed the Kerala Congress, with KM George as the founder leader.
The Congress then forged a political alliance with Muslim League and the right-wing Communists or the CPI which was formed following the split in the Unified Communist Party. The coalition went on to rule the state from 1970-77 and it won the assembly elections of 1977. And K Karunakaran became the Chief Minister. But Karunakaran had to put in his papers within a month after the High Court remarks in the Rajan case and Antony became the Chief Minister for the first time. However, this led to a widening rift between Karunakaran and young turks in the Congress-led by Antony .
At the national level, the Congress suffered a split with Brahmananda Reddy and Indira Gandhi heading the respective parties. Antony and the ‘A’ group leaders extended their support to Reddy and later to Devaraj Urs who became the party chief. Party suffered a split in the state and the Antony group joined the E K Nayanar Government of 1980, with the A group’s Aryadan Mohammed, Vakkom Purushothaman ,P C Chacko and A C Shamugadas getting inducted into the Cabinet. In 1982, Karunakaran took over as Chief Minister and the Congress (S) joined the government but only after a split, with a faction remaining with the LDF. However, an interesting aspect of the Congress’ groupism is that despite the workers being pitted against one another, they close ranks while taking on the CPM. This has helped the party stay afloat in mainstream politics.
In the 1989 Lok Sabha polls K Muraleedharan, son of K Karunakaran, made his debut in electoral politics by contesting from Kozhikode. This sparked major dissent in the party and the “I” group. Called ‘reformists’, the group triggered a major revolution in the state Congress. Karunakaran got panicky and he went in for a truce. But he insisted that Shanavas be kept out. The “A” group sensed blood and Oommen Chandy knew that Karunakaran had been weakened. The ensuing ISRO spy scandal and widespread media coverage led to Karunakaran resigning as CM and A K Antony taking charge as Chief Minister in 1995. With the ‘A’ group firmly in the hands of Oommen Chandy and the ‘I’ group’s reins remaining with Ramesh Chennithala, factional tussle in the Congress is greatly watered down now.
Several leaders are now seen as without groups, but still group equations and affiliations continue as this is seen as a passport to power and party posts. The fact that prized organisational posts, party tickets for contesting polls and plum positions in government are dished out on the basis of group affiliations is the clearest indication yet that groupism in Congress is indeed here to stay.