First, the infighting witnessed during the election campaign. As many as five Congress candidates have complained of efforts to defeat them by a section of Congress leaders themselves. Topping the list is K. Muralidharan who contested from Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency. He has openly accused former Lok Sabha MP T N Prathapan and Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Jose. TN Prathapan, the sitting MP from Thrissur was dropped and replaced by Muralidharan. That decision had created a lot of resentment among Congress rank and file in Thrissur. No wonder, he and the DCC chief were not active in the campaign for Muralidharan.

Another Congress candidate, Rajmohan Unnithan, who was fielded from Kasaragod, also complained of internal sabotage. In the controversy that ensued, KPCC secretary Balakrishna Periya threatened to resign. Shashi Tharoor, who is trying his luck from Thiruvananthapuram also felt the heat of non-cooperation from a section of Congress leaders ill-disposed towards him. Adoor Prakash, Congress candidate from Attingal Lok Sabha constituency, was another victim of acute infighting.

A dejected Prakash has hinted at the possibility of the Congress losing the seat thanks to factionalism. An angry Prakash, who belongs to the dominant Ezhava community, has now staked his claim to the presidentship of the KPCC. Prakash’s claim has come against the backdrop of criticism that representation in the party of Ezhavas has been dismal. Likewise, three-time MP MK Raghavan, who is trying his luck from Kozhikode Lok Sabha constituency for the fourth time, also accused some Congress leaders of actively working to ensure his defeat.

Meanwhile, Sudhakaran has been reinstated as the KPCC chief as the Congress high command succumbed to relentless pressure from his supporters. True, Sudhakaran has received a temporary reprieve. But the High Command has made it clear that there would be a thorough organizational revamp after June 4, when the election results would be announced. It is an open secret that a sizable section within the Congress in Kerala is strongly opposed to the continuation of Sudhakaran as the KPCC chief. Among his rivals in the party are leader of the opposition V D Satheesan and another senior party leader MM Hassan, who was acting KPCC chief while Sudhakaran was temporarily relieved of the KPCC president’s charge to enable him campaign for the Lok Sabha election from Kannur. Sudhakaran was not keen on contesting from Kannur but was forced to do so by the high command.

There is denying the fact that the high command has a difficult task on hand. If Sudhakaran is removed, there is bound to be stiff opposition from his supporters. It is clear that Sudhakaran would not take any decision to replace him lying down. He has threatened in the past that he could join the BJP anytime he wanted. If he does so, that would be a serious setback for the Congress in Kerala. At the same time, if he is retained as the KPCC chief, that decision could worsen the factional feud bedevelling the party. How the party high command tackles the sensitive and ticklish issue remains to be seen. An early decision will have to be taken as the party has to prepare itself for the forthcoming local body elections.

It has become clear that the tussle for the KPCC president’s post will gather momentum with more candidates throwing their hat in the ring. The party is sharply divided on the issue of the next president. A sizable section says that the next president should be a Christian, preferably from the Lathin Catholic community. The Congress does not have a powerful leader from the Christian community since the death of former chief minister Oommen Chandy.

This section says that the next chief should be a Christian as such a step alone could bring back the Christians who had turned their back on the Congress. At the same time, if the claims of Adoor Prakash for the top party post are ignored, it would antagonize the powerful Ezhava community, which is under-represented in the Congress. Out of the 21 Congress MLAs, there is only one Ezhava. Further alienation of the Ezhavas is a luxury the Congress cannot afford at this crucial juncture. It is a catch 22 situation for the Congress. The High Command has its task cut out. (IPA Service)