The ostensible purpose of the yatra is to rid ‘God’s Own Country of what the Congress dubs as the ‘LDF Government’s misrule’. But there seems to be a hidden agenda, too: an attempt by Oommen Chandy to emerge as the last word in Congress affairs in Kerala.

Mr. Chandy has already grown in strength by having his own nominees elected as the presidents of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the Youth Congress in the State. With the completion of the Yatra, he hopes to become the monarch of all that he surveys in the Congress landscape.

But Mr Chandy will have to reckon with the Murali factor as well. The son of late Congress patriarch K Karunakaran, K Muralidharan is all set to re-enter the Congress from which he had been expelled six years ago for anti-aprty activities. Almost all State Congress leaders including AK Antony, Vayalar Ravi and V M Sudheeran and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala have advocated early return of Murali to the Congress.

Ideally, Murali’s return should have been announced immediately after Karunakaran’s death. After all that was the last wish of the ‘Leader’, as Karunakaran was known among the Congress rank and file. The KPCC chief has gone on record that it was for the party high command to take the final decision in the matter.

Meanwhile, Mr Oommen Chandy undertook his yatra, which will conclude only in the first week of February. Therefore, for all practical purposes, a decision on Murali’s return will have to wait till then.

There is no escaping the conclusion that the return of Muralidharan is likely to upset the group equations within the Congress in the State. Although he may not indulge in groupism in the immediate future, Congressmen are watching with keen interest as to which group he will align himself with in the days ahead. The Vishala I group led by KPCC chief Ramesh Cjhennithala expects Murali to become part of it. If Murali decides to throw in is lot with the group, which among its ranks many Karunakaran loyalists. If Murali decides to throw in his lot with the Vishal I group, things could become a bit difficult for Oommen Chandy. If Union Minister Vayalar Ravi, who has also set his sights on the chief minister’s post also backs the Vishal I group, that will add to Chandy’s problems. Hence Chandy’s misgivings on the Murali issue.

Be that as it may, with the assembly elections less than four months away, the Congress has a tough task ahead: finalization of seat division talks, and more than anybody, Chandy is aware of the magnitude of the task. While the allies wanted the talks to be concluded as early as possible, Mr Chandy’s Yatra has delayed it.

As soon as the Yatra comes to an end, the seat division talks are expected to gather momentum. With the allies in a more aggressive mood, the Congress will have to tackle the issue extremely carefully.

For instance, the Kerala Congress (M) is insisting that the party should get more seats than last time with the merger of the Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction in it. The KC(M) proved its strength in its stronghold, Kottayam district, by going it alone in the local bodies elections held in October 2010.

Likewise, The KR Gowri-led Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samiti (JSS) is also demanding that it be given five seats like in the last elections. The Congress is not inclined to do so because the party feels the JSS influence has weakened over the years. The Congress has also to find seats for the new entrant, Socialist Janata (Democratic) and the Indian National League (INL), which were with the LDF in the last assembly elections.

Mr Oommen Chandy obviously hopes that the completion of the yatra will further enhance his stature and clout in the State Congress; enabling him to have the last word in the matter of selection of candidates. Will his plans fructify? That is the million dollar question. (IPA Service)