Applecart rocked? VD Satheesan draws flak at Congress PAC meet

The Satheesan camp was anticipating all-out criticism of KPCC president K Sudhakaran for his alleged laxity and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala for allegedly forcing a debate on the CM post.
Kerala opposition leader VD Satheesan.
Kerala opposition leader VD Satheesan. (File photo| EPS)
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Until recently, he was the toast of ordinary Congressmen and an influential section of party leaders. Buoyed by the Congress victory in a string of recent by-elections in the state, he was all set to lead the UDF in the 2026 assembly election, besides being tipped as the chief minister if the front forms the next government.

But V D Satheesan’s apple cart was upset at the Congress Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting on Sunday with a slew of leaders, with the tacit backing of some veterans, unleashing a barrage of criticism at him, especially his “arrogant style of functioning”.

According to leaders who were present, what emerged at the PAC meeting derailed the calculations of the leader of opposition and his supporters.

The Satheesan camp was anticipating all-out criticism of KPCC president K Sudhakaran for his alleged laxity and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala for allegedly forcing a debate on the CM post.

However, P J Kurien, who started the discussion, and AICC general secretaries Deepa Dasmunshi and K C Venugopal set the tone of the meeting, which was altogether different from what Satheesan and supporters had sought.

“The silence of Satheesan campers like Shafi Parambil was ‘quite audible’. It was clear that the critics enjoy the silent moral support of top leaders,” a senior Congress leader told TNIE. “And worse still for him, the high command representatives remained passive spectators when his critics went on the rampage,” the leader said.

Kerala opposition leader VD Satheesan.
No point in staying if Congress Kerala leadership lacks unity: Deepa Dasmunshi

It was senior leader Sooran and Rajasekharan who fired the first salvo. Unlike during the tenure of K Karunakaran, Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala, Cantonment House, the official residence of the leader of the opposition, has become inaccessible to ordinary Congress workers, he alleged. The tempo of the attack against Satheesan gradually attained momentum and peaked when A P Anilkumar, a confidant of Venugopal, spoke. He questioned Satheesan’s mandate to take decisions on important issues without holding consultations. 

‘Satheesan failed to get support of high command representatives’

When the leader of the opposition said apart from its 21 sitting seats, Congress needs to focus on 63 more seats, Anilkumar sought to know who gave him the authority to make decisions on such matters.

Though Satheesan tried to counter in his “own style”, he failed to garner the support of the high command representatives. Both Deepa and Venugopal said it is for the high command to take a final decision on important matters. Several other leaders told Satheesan that the party has a system to elect its CM, and now it is time to concentrate on local body elections.

Though the Satheesan camp was keen on discussions over replacing Sudhakaran, hardly any discussion was held on the matter except about the KPCC president’s long absence from the party headquarters.

Interestingly, though Satheesan is known to be the favourite of the young crop of leaders in the party, those in his close circle like Shafi refrained from defending him. “They read between the lines and knew that high command meant business. So they kept mum,” a PAC member told TNIE.

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