KOCHI: As the rift within the NCP (SP) Kerala unit widens over the replacement of Forest Minister A K Saseendran, party leaders say that national supremo Sharad Pawar will take the final decision on Saturday, when he is scheduled to meet leaders of both the factions. State president P C Chacko, who previously maintained no plan to share the ministerial post with the party’s second MLA, Thomas K Thomas —brother of the late leader Thomas Chandy—has shifted his stance. He now supports allocating the remaining term to Thomas. However, Saseendran and his supporters are adamant that the party has not made any decision to share the post.
A key question is whether the CPM, which previously backed Saseendran during factional disputes within the NCP, will continue to support him. The political dynamics within the party have shifted since P C Chacko joined the NCP from the Congress in 2021. As the state unit chief, Chacko has a strong rapport with CM Pinarayi Vijayan, and there are reports that the CM has agreed to the proposed shift.
The issue of Saseendran’s replacement came to light following media reports after a meeting of party district presidents in Kochi. Refuting these reports, Chacko said that the party had not made any decision on sharing the ministerial post. “I have already communicated this matter to the national president, and he will speak with both Saseendran and Thomas K Thomas,” Chacko said.
Earlier, Thomas K Thomas had written to then LDF convenor E P Jayarajan, claiming that in 2021, it was agreed that Saseendran would serve as the party’s cabinet nominee for 30 months, after which Thomas would replace him. He aired his claim after the replacement of Antony Raju and Ahamed Deverkovil by K B Ganesh Kumar and Kadannapally Ramachandran as per an arrangement within the ruling front.
However, Thomas struggled to gain support within the party and front, as P C Chacko opposed sharing the post. Following the rift, Thomas was warned by the national leadership but chose to remain with the NCP (SP) and the LDF, despite reports suggesting he might align with Ajith Pawar’s faction, which joined the BJP-led NDA. “There was a decision to share cabinet posts among parties with single MLAs. Since the NCP has two legislators, it can retain the ministerial post for the full five-year term. The decision to share the post was made before I joined the party. Now, I believe Thomas’s claim has some justification, as he has remained loyal to the party,” Chacko said.
Meanwhile, leaders close to Saseendran said they still do not know why the state president backtracked from his earlier stand. “They are claiming that the majority of the district presidents have agreed to the shift. However, after Chacko was appointed state president, many of our district presidents stepped down to make way for Chacko’s supporters, giving him the majority. The party has not unanimously decided on Saseendran’s replacement,” said one leader.
Thomas K Thomas, who once played the role of a rebel within the party, is now aligned with the official faction led by Chacko.