THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the clamour by the leaders who are keen to contest in the Congress presidential election to release the 9,000-member voters’ list, the national leadership is in no mood to heed to their demand. This is being seen as a ploy to expose the lack of influence of aspirants outside their home states.
They will have to approach each of the 28 Pradesh Congress committees and the units in eight Union Territories for the electoral roll and it is expected to be a cumbersome process. Among the total 9,000 voters in the list across the country, 348 belong to Kerala.
They include the 280 and 28 state and national committee members, respectively, eight former state Congress presidents, 16 Congress MPs from the state, 14 parliamentary committee leaders from the state legislative assembly out of 21 legislators and the two ex-officio members—state Congress president and Opposition leader.
Three-time Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor’s expressed interest in contesting has not gone down well with the state Congress leaders.
Though Tharoor is keen on bringing transparency in the organisation, these leaders feel that it will only send out a wrong message to the rank and file of the party.
A seasoned leader like Tharoor is aware that it’s not going to be a cakewalk for him if he contests against the official candidate. The nomination paper must be endorsed by 10 voters in the electoral rolls.
“It is learnt that Tharoor has been disappointed with the lack of support he has received from his party colleagues from his home state except from senior leader Prof B Balachandran. It is evident that the Gandhi family is keen to convey the message to its voters that they are not endorsing dynasty politics. This way, the BJP’s main accusation against the Gandhi scions can be blunted ahead of the 2026 Lok Sabha elections,” said a senior Congress MP. The onus is on state Congress president K Sudhakaran to ensure that the presidential election is held democratically.
It is to be seen whether Sudhakaran will be able to appease Tharoor and prevent his candidature.
After a long spell, Indira Bhavan is abuzz with activities with the state leaders making last-minute arrangements for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra which will enter Thiruvananthapuram from Kaliyikkavila on September 11.
Tharoor was also present in the state Congress leadership meet.
A majority of state leaders feel that in the end, either veteran leader Kamal Nath or Mukul Wasnik will emerge as the Congress president.
Voters from Kerala
280 KPCC members.
28 AICC members.
Former KPCC presidents: 8.
(A K Antony, Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, C V Padmarajan, K Muraleedharan, Ramesh Chennithala, V M Sudheeran, M M Hassan and Mullappally Ramachandran. P P Thankachan has not been a full-time KPCC president).
Congress MPs (KPCC and AICC members): 16.
Parliamentary committee leaders who have voting rights among the 21 MLAs: 14.
Ex-officio members: 2 (KPCC president and Leader of Opposition).
Total: 348.