Thiruvananthapuram: Both the cadre and leaders in the state unit of the Congress hope that the prevailing confusion over the choice of the new KPCC president will end soon and the high command will make the announcement next week.
“Confusion” is the feedback from leaders, who are privy to discussions in New Delhi. The choice could have been made easy if only former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala unanimously picked a name. But they dare not do it lest the high command should reject it like last when V. M. Sudheedharan was airdropped.
An A camp leader said the high command rues the decision as Mr Sudheeran, who had never enjoyed bipartisan support, ended up antagonizing all sections and presiding over one of the worst debacles of the UDF in Assembly elections.
The high command obviously does not want to repeat this misadventure and be held responsible at a time when the party is bracing for the Lok Sabha elections.
Leaders from Kerala have told the high command that the new president should be a go-getter because “we have a chief minister who will stop at nothing to win the elections”.
The one voice that could have ended the confusion is the highly trusted A. K. Antony. But he would not suggest any time lest he should annoy the losers and their respective factions. He wants the leaders in Kerala to bite the bullet.
The obvious choice, going by the precedent, is an ‘A’ group nominee because the Opposition leader belongs to the ‘I’ group. But the high command frowns on group loyalties and would prefer a leader, who would lead the party in the next polls and not have immediate electoral ambitions. Also the high command would want a president, capable of mobilizing the funds locally than be waiting on small mercies from New Delhi.
Chandy protégé Benny Behanan is name that has gained currency as most leaders are not impressed by Mr Mullapally Ramachandran, who has not been able to create an organizational impact beyond Malabar. AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal, former PCC president K. Muraleedharan and Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, are other names doing the rounds.
