THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After much drama, the Congress central leadership has appointed three-time MLA Sunny Joseph as the party’s new state chief. Outgoing president K Sudhakaran, who had openly revolted against his removal, has been accommodated as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
The AICC has replaced UDF convener M M Hassan with Attingal MP Adoor Prakash. Three working presidents were also announced. MLAs P C Vishnunadh and A P Anil Kumar and MP Shafi Parambil replace Kodikkunnil Suresh, T N Prathapan and T Siddique. The name of the new president was announced in the evening through a press release issued by AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal.
By noon, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Venugopal contacted Sudhakaran and convinced him about the necessity to have a leadership change in the state Congress. The two top leaders reportedly assured Sudhakaran that the party still considers him one of its tallest leaders in the state, and his services will be needed further.
Reshuffle a setback for Venugopal, Satheesan
Sunny, a close confidant of Sudhakaran, is the party’s face against arch rival CPM in Kannur. The Peravoor MLA’s appointment is also seen as a move by the AICC to pacify the veteran leader. The final decision was taken by Rahul and Kharge. Venugopal was not part of the decision-making, according to AICC sources.
To balance Sudhakaran’s exit, Adoor Prakash from the Ezhava community was appointed the UDF convener. Similarly, M M Hassan’s exit as UDF convener was balanced by Shafi’s induction as one of the new working presidents. Vishnunadh represents Nair community and Anil Kumar the SCs.
The reshuffle has also come as a setback for Venugopal and Leader of Opposition V D Satheeshan. Though the two leaders had rooted for Anto Antony, Sudhakaran’s opposition and negative feedback from senior leaders worked against him. Anto was presented as the Catholic Church’s representative from central Kerala, but the Church itself is learnt to have reservations against him.
