Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress men in the state are waiting for CWC member A.K. Antony to break his enigmatic silence on the raging dispute among the top leaders over the candidates’ list. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi rushed to Mr Antony’s home at 9, Krishna Menon Marg in New Delhi to solve the imbroglio over five sitting MLAs-- K. C. Joseph, K. Babu, Benny Bahanan, Adoor Prakash and A. T. George. While KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran want them to be replaced, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala have opposed his move.
It is said that Mr Sudheeran has been acting as per the ‘blessings’ of Mr Antony. Mr Antony and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to participate in the AICC screening committee meeting on Thursday which would also be attended by Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, chairman of the committee.
During his last visit here to attend the KPCC office-bearers’ meeting, Mr Antony had said that a ‘few’ senior leaders should step aside for youngsters. He had held talks with his loyalists, including Youth Congress leaders, and sought their views.
“Irikoor sitting MLA K. C. Joseph has been a legislator for seven terms. Antony is keen to keep out Adoor Prakash from Konni as he created unwanted controversies at the fag end of the UDF government. Thrikkakara MLA Benny Behanan was embroiled in the solar scam,” said a KPCC general secretary.
Mr Antony is batting for Pathanamthitta DCC president P. Mohanraj to replace Mr Adoor Prakash as he was removed from the candidature list several times earlier. But Trippunithura MLA K. Babu is likely to get the seat as he has more winning chances than Greater Cochin Development Authority chairman N. Venugopal and former Vadakkekara MLA M. A. Chandrasekharan.
Mr A.T. George of Parassala, who has a poor record as MLA, may be replaced with either Neyyatinkara Sanal or Mariyapuram Sreekumar.
