Kerala Congress: new leaders, old troubles

Sunny Joseph, the newly appointed president of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, was welcomed in Kozhikode. , Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

AConsidering for more than six months, on 8 May, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) influenced the party’s Kerala unit’s leadership change. Appoint Sunny Joseph as President Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). Mr. Joseph, a three -time MLA from Pervur. Has replaced Sudhakaran.

Incidentally, Mr. Sudhakaran announced immediately after publicly claimed that he had no intention of renouncing the post. However, the AICC was scheduled to rebuild the KPCC in view of the pressure of senior state leaders. The case was eventually resolved through a careful interaction: while Mr. Joseph, a reliable colleague, KPCC President, Mr. Sudhakaran, was appointed as a permanent inviting for the Congress Working Committee. AICC appointed MP Adour Prakash as Congress -led UDF convenors and also promoted AP Anil Kumar, PC Vishnunath and Shafi Parambil as working presidents of KPCC.

Also read Sunny Yusuf has cut her work as the chairman of the New Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee

With the appointment of Mr. Joseph, the Congress High Command is trying to revive once-formal Christian-Netra alliance, which helped the party win the assembly elections. Along with the influential Nair community, support from various Christian sects, especially Syrian Catholic, has disappeared over time for the Congress. A section of these communities has changed loyalty towards BJP. Congress strategists believe that Mr. Joseph’s enrollment will help the party capitalize on their Christian background. His appointment also has historical significance: this is the first time in two decades when a Christian leader is influencing the party in Kerala. For more than a decade, with the post organized by leaders belonging to the Edgehwa/Thia community, the Catholic pastor has demanded that a community members lead the KPCC.

Soon after the reshuffle, Congress leaders displayed the room dadri. However, this unity was interrupted when Mr. Sudhakaran announced that he was told to be removed from the post of KPCC President. He alleged that a faction of selfish -inspired leaders affected AICC. While he announced that he was committed to complying with the party’s instructions, Mr. Sudhakaran carefully suggested that the central leadership could still consider him to be the role of Kerala in the 2026 assembly elections.

Many Congress leaders believe that Mr. Sudhakaran has a good reason for being disappointed as his performance was not properly evaluated. Two previous presidents of KPCC faced different circumstances: Mullapally Ramachandran was dropped after the Congress’s poor performance in the 2021 assembly elections, while VM Sudheran had a hurry to get out in a hurry to get out in a hurry to get out in a hurry a year after the 2016 assembly elections. Although Mr. Sudhiran officially cited health reasons for his decision, it was an open secret that internal conflicts led to his resignation.

The central leadership probably did not trust Mr. Sudhakaran’s ability to lead to the winning 2026 assembly elections. CPI (M) -LED LDF is high since the target is for a historic third term in the office. Almost all the Congress candidates for the post of Chief Minister were clearly removed by Mr. Sudhakaran.

While some say that the central leadership did not form the basis for the height of Mr. Joseph and simply rushed him to the top, an experienced leader is an Antony confident that the new KPCC president will ensure that a UDF government and a Congress leader will remain in power in 2026.

Leadership matrix is ​​no doubt that thanks to the fine balance of caste interests looks innocent on paper – KPCC is now KPCC from the Christian community in Congress in Kerala; The functioning of a leader of the opposition from the Nair community, a UDF convenor of the Agehwa community, and the chairman of KPCC Scheduled Castes and Muslim communities.

However, it will not bring votes alone. To attract voters who moved away from the party, it is important for the Congress leadership to take a clear stand on issues like Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 and caste census. Bitter facility and many Chief Minister’s candidates are obstacles for the party. The biggest challenge for the Congress lies in raising anti-incompatibility effectively at the ground level.