THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over the last few weeks, there has been news of KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran keen on contesting in the Assembly elections and later denying it. But now the latest is that Mullapally will not be contesting as he is keen to lead the party in the Assembly elections. This decision comes at a time when KPCC working president K Sudhakaran has set his eyes on the party president post.
Mullapally’s candidature was raised by leaders close to him a day after the top three Congress leaders had held talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi. Accordingly, it was reported that in all likelihood Mullapally is expected to be fielded from Kalpetta Assembly seat in Wayanad district. But the next day, he took a summersault stating that a call on his candidature will be taken by the AICC leadership. A senior leader close to Mullapally told TNIE that he is in a dilemma on whether to contest or not following pressure from his close confidants.
“But now Mullapally has made up his mind that it is better to lead the party in the crucial elections on the anvil. With Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and CWC leader Oommen Chandy in the electoral fray, Mullapally feels that it will keep him in good stead if he ensures the victory of the Congress. Also, if he has to contest, he will have to first step down from the post as that’s the norm taken by the AICC leadership”, said a leader close to Mullapally.
AICC leadership has come up with a norm that DCC presidents and KPCC office bearers who are keen to contest in the Assembly elections would have to first step down from the party post. Accordingly, the vacant posts will see in-charges being appointed. But there is pressure from a section of the Congress leaders that Mullapally should contest in the Assembly elections. There are not many senior Thiyya/Ezhava Congress leaders in the fray where Mullapally fits the bill under this community and who also has got a clean image and that of a “neutral leader” who takes the “bull by its horns”, be it against the CPM or the BJP.