Four leaders emerge strong contenders for CWC berth
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is speculation time in the Congress as it gears up to announce the new members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). From Kerala, four prominent leaders are emerging as strong contenders for the highly sought-after CWC positions. It is widely expected that K C Venugopal, the national general secretary, and Mullappally Ramachandran, the former PCC president, will secure their spots on the committee.
Meanwhile, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala and three-time MP Shashi Tharoor also harbour hopes of securing a position in the CWC. All eyes are now on Rahul Gandhi, who is likely to make the final call.
A reliable source within the Congress party revealed that considering various factors, including community equations, the party is likely to select either Tharoor or Chennithala. While Chennithala’s recent involvement in factional activities has attracted scrutiny, Tharoor’s chances of securing a position remain uncertain. Additionally, there is a possibility of considering Dalit representation, which may lead to the selection of Kodikunnil Suresh.
The party constitution was amended recently to increase the strength of the CWC from 25 to 35 members. This has raised the hopes of CWC aspirants from the state. A party source from New Delhi informed TNIE that the central leadership is keen on including veterans like V M Sudheeran and Mullappally in the highest decision-making body.
Both leaders have refrained from attending party meetings due to their grievances against state president K Sudhakaran’s lack of accountability and unilateral style. “While Sudheeran remains steadfast in his decision not to take up any posts, Mullappally has always maintained an excellent rapport with the High Command and has been a staunch loyalist to the three generations of the Nehru family. Now is the time for the leadership to recognise Mullappally’s contributions by granting him a CWC berth,” said a party source.
Venugopal, who is already a member of the CWC, has completed six years in office as the organisational general secretary. The billion-dollar question is whether the leadership will pick Chennithala or Tharoor. Chennithala, 67 years old, has been very active since stepping down from the role of Leader of the Opposition.
According to a senior MP, Chennithala was doing well until he stumbled upon the group meeting.
“A leader of Chennithala’s stature should not have called a group meeting and ridiculed Tariq Anwar, the national general secretary in charge of the state. These actions have tarnished his image.
However, Chennithala still has a chance. As for Tharoor, he is treading cautiously, despite the war of words on his Twitter handle against the central leadership’s stance. In my opinion, Tharoor will take the next course of action depending on the outcome of the CWC berth,” the senior told TNIE.