THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress is set to kick-start the long-awaited organisational reshuffle in Kerala with the appointment of a new KPCC president. According to party sources, the high command could name a new state chief within a week.
The process is likely to commence after July 10, once Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, returns to Delhi. Sunny Joseph, the incumbent KPCC president, had informed the high command his readiness to step down from the post after being inducted into the cabinet. However, he has been asked to continue until a replacement is appointed.
The exercise comes at a crucial juncture for the party. There is growing discontent among workers and leaders over the absence of a full-time KPCC president.
Though it’s been more than a month since the government assumed office in May, the committee meant to facilitate coordination between the government and the party has not yet been constituted. Leaders allege that the organisational inertia has affected the party’s ability to intervene on key policy matters.
“The government has made U-turns on several appointments and courted controversy over some other decisions involving the party’s policy positions,” a Congress leader said. “Had there been a full-time working KPCC president and effective coordination between the party and government, contentious decisions such as the implementation of PM SHRI scheme, reduction of tax on low-alcohol beverages and private participation in mineral sand mining could have been avoided,” he said.
Meanwhile, lobbying for the post of KPCC chief has also intensified, with former UDF convenor Benny Behanan and Lok Sabha Chief Whip Kodikunnil Suresh being seen as frontrunners. The reported rift between Chief Minister V D Satheesan and veteran leader V M Sudheeran has come as a setback for Suresh at a crucial juncture.
The two were understood to have backed Suresh as the first Dalit KPCC president, in line with the party’s emphasis on social justice. Behanan, however, enjoys the support of different sections of the party. UDF convenor Adoor Prakash, V S Sivakumar, Anto Antony and Mathew Kuzhalnadan are also in the race.
Party observers have submitted their assessment reports on prospective candidates to the high command. “The high command will initiate the appointment process once Rahul returns,” a leader said. Although a section in the party has demanded that the ‘one-person, one-post’ principle be applied while appointing the new president, the final decision will rest with the high command.
Next steps
The appointment of KPCC president is expected to set the ball rolling on a wider organisational overhaul, including the appointment of two working presidents and new general secretaries, followed by selection of new district chiefs.
