KOCHI: Amid reports that all sitting Lok Sabha members of the Congress, except for state president K Sudhakaran, will seek the people’s mandate again in the 2024 general elections, there is increasing discussion in the party that leaders who have completed three consecutive terms should step aside to make way for new faces.
Though the preliminary, informal talks are seen as an attempt to project fresh faces, the grand old party is in a dilemma regarding any move in that direction. The reason is simple: the Congress has to find winnable candidates to replace the big names who have established the respective seats as their home turf. Further, the upcoming elections are crucial for the party, which is looking to make a comeback at the Centre.
Notably, Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram), Kodikunnil Suresh (Mavelikkara), M K Raghavan (Kozhikode), and Anto Antony (Pathanamthitta) are the MPs who have had three successive terms.
While party leaders always argue for a generation shift in the outfit by bringing in young blood, the big question is how that would happen without providing opportunities to second generation leaders.
Since the possibility of victory is the main criterion, the top leaders will refrain from demanding the removal of the four three-time MPs from the fray, sources said. While Tharoor -- who was recently nominated to the Congress Working Committee, the party’s topmost body — will be fielded, Kodikunnil Suresh — who is a special invitee to CWC — may also get another chance. In Kozhikode, M K Raghavan has a greater chance of winning in comparison to any other Congress leader from the constituency.
Hence, there is little possibility for the removal of these leaders citing three successive Lok Sabha terms, according to political observers. That leaves Anto Antony on a tough wicket, as there was resentment against his candidature within the party the last time too. K Baburaj, a senior journalist and political observer, does not foresee the removal of the senior MPs, given that winnability is a major consideration for the Congress.
“But the big question that confronts the party is how to accommodate the young leaders. The party has to allocate seats to women as it supports the women’s reservation bill and also to those belonging to the Ezhava community following allegations that the party always sidelines this community, which forms a major chunk of the electorate,” he said.
As Sudhakaran has expressed his willingness to keep away from the fray considering his responsibility as the party’s state chief, a young leader, from the Ezhava community, is likely to be fielded, sources said. In Alappuzha too the party is likely to consider a fresh face. Besides, if Rahul Gandhi chooses to shift from the Wayanad constituency, an opportunity will arise to field a new leader there too.
While K Muraleedharan, the Vadakara MP, has spoken of staying away from the fray this time, the recent developments suggest he will adhere to the party decision. Meanwhile, a reliable Congress source said the possibility of the removal of sitting MPs could open up as political strategist Sunil Kanagolu’s team has surveyed all the constituencies and will submit a report to the high command in the coming months.
“The high command will take a decision on the candidates considering this report. At this juncture, the prediction of candidates is premature,” he said. The Congress has begun its preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by organising district-level meetings of its booth, block and mandalam-level functionaries. Party leaders are pinning their hopes on the anti-incumbency sentiment against the LDF government in the state and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, along with the popularity of its sitting MPs.
