By rejecting the High command’s directives on selection of candidates, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has committed the ‘cardinal sin’: of defying the High Command, something unheard of in the Kerala unit’s history.

In the process, the so-called High Command has lost its aura of invincibility, an aura which it had sedulously built from the times of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. A mere lift of IG’s annihilating eyebrow was enough to scare even the most vociferous of dissidents into submission.

Times have obviously changed. If the High Command has lost its power, it has to blame nothing but itself for the diminished status. This is particularly true of Kerala.

Over the years, when Congress leaders in Kerala indulged in rampant group politics, the High Command, instead of frowning on the phenomenon and initiating firm steps to stem the rot, turned a blind eye. The result is there for all to see. The dominant factions led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala have gone from strength to strength, acquiring the dimensions of a Frankenstein monster, which has become so powerful as to defy – and even intimidate – the High Command! The chickens have obviously come to roost, and the monster is threatening to devour the creator itself now!

This particular episode will soon pass into history. That is for sure. But the damage it has caused to the image and credibility of the Congress High Command is enormous. It stands stripped of its aura of invincibility. The ‘Kerala model’ may even embolden other state units of the party to thumb their nose at the central authority and get away with it. And that is a luxury the High Command can ill afford at this crucial juncture of time when it is struggling to keep the head above the swirling waters.

As for the Kerala episode itself, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has obviously had his way. He has succeeded in securing seats for all of his trusted lieutenants except one. One of his henchmen, Benny Behnan has been denied ticket from his constituency, Trikkakara, obviously at the instance of the High Command.

The grapevine has it that this was Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s way of getting back at Chandy for his impudence in rejecting his man for the Irikkur constituency. Chandy had insisted on giving the seat to his loyalist Minister KC Joseph, overruling Rahul’s objections and suggestions.

In a way, it also came as some relief for the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, V. M. Sudheeran, who vehemently opposed the candidatures of four of Chandy’s trusted aides: Ministers K. Babu, K C Joseph, Benny and Dominic Presentation. All except Benny have managed to save their seats as Chandy threatened to stay away from the elections if they were denied tickets! An election without Chandy would be suicidal, the High Command was told. And the latter blinked, albeit reluctantly.

Needless to say, the whole episode has left a trail of bitterness in its trail. Tempers have cooled for the time being. But it remains to be seen what impact the incident will have on the poll results.

The jury is divided on the issue. There is a school of thought dominated by the A group led by Chandy which believes that it will have no bearing on the prospects of the party.

However, the CM’s detractors seek to differ. They believe it will do incalculable damage to the party’s chances. The KPCC president’s efforts to give tickets to candidates with clean images have become a victim to the virulent faction war lacerating the party.

The biggest casualty will be the party’s loss of credibility. The deployment of candidates with tainted images like Excise Minister K Babu, Culture Minister K C Joseph and Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash will affect the chances of not only these candidates themselves but also the prospects of many others. Of that there is no doubt.

In a way, this was the last chance for the party to redeem, to some extent, its tattered image. The Congress would have had a fighting chance if only it had fielded candidates with unblemished records and clean images. But that idea was sacrificed at the altar of political expediency and the intransigence of proponents of group politics. Remember, senior party leader from Kerala, A K Antony had sounded a note of warning: if you do not put up good candidates this time around, the party cannot hope to retain power. Therefore, utmost care must be taken to put up candidates with clean images. That sage advice has been contemptuously rejected by the factional leaders. (IPA Service)