THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are several aspirants to occupy the chair vacated by KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran on Friday. They include MLAs K. Muraleedharan, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, V. D. Satheesan and P. T. Thomas; MPs K. V. Thomas, Mullapally Ramachandran and Kodikunnil Suresh; former Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran and KPCC vice-president M. M. Hassan. Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is currently in the US for medical treatment is expected to return next week. AICC sources told DC that former chief minister Oommen Chandy or one among the five vice-presidents will be given temporary charge.
Mr Muraleedharan may not get the post considering the communal equations. “Since Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala belongs to the Nair community, the new KPCC president has to be either a Christian or an Ezhava. In that case, either K. V. Thomas, P. T. Thomas or Mullapally Ramachandran may get a chance. But senior Congress leader A. K. Antony will have a say in the matter,” said a top Congress leader. Mr Sudhakaran’s style has not been appreciated by Mr Antony. K. V. Thomas is acceptable to the AICC leadership as well as the two groups in the state Congress. The leaders are not sure about the capabilities of P. T. Thomas to become PCC chief.
