Two observers sent by the AICC leadership held consultations with the party’s MLA-elect and passed a resolution on Thursday authorizing the high command to take a decision on the chief minister’s post, days after the UDF alliance scored a landslide victory in the Kerala Assembly elections.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting was held at Indira Bhawan, the party’s state headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, shortly after 11 am, where the resolution was adopted and the party’s 63 MLAs-elect were voted on by observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik on their preferences and opinions on the top post.
At present, the main contenders for the chief minister’s post are outgoing Leader of the Opposition V D Sathisean, former LoP and minister Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal. While Satheesan and Chennithala are MLAs from Paravur and Haripad respectively, Venugopal is the Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha.
After the meeting, Maken told reporters: “Mukulji and I have passed a one-line resolution. We spoke to the military officials one by one and we will now return to Delhi tonight with our report. We will submit the report to the high command. We do not have any names (for the prime minister’s post). You will know that very soon.”
KPCC president Sunny Joseph assured that the high command will take the final decision on the candidate for the chief minister’s post.
Angamaly-elect MLA Roji M John said the decision would be taken in a “democratic” manner. “We are a democratic party. Everyone has the right to express their opinions. We all enjoy this freedom. We believe in the leadership of the party. They will take the right decision at the right time,” he said.
The two observers also held discussions with party MPs like Shafi Parambil and Kodikunil Suresh as well as key allies like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and individual MLA parties like the Communist Marxist Party (CMP) and Kerala Congress (Jacob).
IUML general secretary PK Kunhalikutty told reporters after the meeting, “We have conveyed our opinion (regarding the chief minister’s post) to the observers. They will convey it to the AICC. We cannot share this opinion with the media. We are waiting for the final decision by the AICC.”
A close associate of VD Satheesan told HT that they have the support of at least 35 MLAs from the party besides the support of allies like the IUML.
“We are very confident that we have the numbers as well as the support of the allies in our favor. The numbers mentioned by the Venugopal-led camp are highly exaggerated. He does not have that kind of support,” the leader said.
He also countered criticism from a section of the party leadership that Sathisean lacks administrative experience. “When AK Antony was appointed chief minister in 1977 at the age of 36, he did not have any prior experience. He was only the state Congress president. Likewise, VS Achuthanandan became chief minister in 2006 without holding any previous ministerial post. So these things do not matter,” he said.
IUML supports Satheesan, Cong MLA criticizes
The UDF, which holds 22 of the UDF’s 102 seats and is the Congress’ oldest ally in Kerala, has signaled its support for Sathisean as party president and is learned to have suggested his name to observers.
KM Shaji, one of the newly elected MLAs in the IUML, told local media that Satheesan proved AICC’s faith in him when he was appointed LoP five years ago.
“This election victory is a proof of the honest, dedicated work and leadership done by Satheesan. He has proven that the AICC decision to appoint him as chief minister was correct. So unwanted discussions on the post of chief minister are not healthy. The general mandate of 102 seats should be respected,” Shaji said, indirectly endorsing Satheesan to the chief minister’s post.
However, Mathew Kozalnadan, the Muvattupuzha MLA-elect who is seen as close to KC Venugopal, criticized the IUML for trying to interfere in the internal process within the Congress.
“We do not interfere in the work of the IUC, nor do we suggest who should lead this party. So we expect them not to interfere in our process either,” he said.
