Debate intensifies over chief minister candidate; Congress caught in a bind

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the election campaign intensifies, the Congress is yet to reach a consensus on the Chief Minister candidate. K. Sudhakaran, who had the Congress leadership on edge for three days over the name of his assembly candidacy, sparked the controversy. Another senior leader, P.J. Kurien, reignited the discussions today.

Ramesh Chennithala said there was no immediate need to raise discussions about the Chief Minister post now. V.D. Satheesan clarified that the Chief Minister will be elected after the elections, akin to what the party did in Telangana and Karnataka. Sudhakaran, meanwhile, opined that he wished to see Ramesh Chennithala become the Chief Minister if UDF comes to power. The current opposition leader is considered for the post of Chief Minister if he gets a majority. However, Chennithala is a senior leader compared to Satheesan. There were also rumours that AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal would take up this responsibility if a chance came his way.

The Sudhakaran faction suspects that V.D. Satheesan pulled the strings in replacing him as KPCC president and installing Sunny Joseph. Although Sudhakaran informed the leadership of his interest in contesting the assembly, Satheesan was the most adamant that MPs should not contest. Sudhakaran had to return disappointed after staying in Delhi for three days. Sudhakaran's statement is supposed to be a reckoning for all this. Chennithala was the one who spoke to the leadership on behalf of Sudhakaran in the Delhi discussion.

PJ Kurien had said at the UDF convention in Thiruvalla that Chennithala would become the Chief Minister if the UDF came to power.

K. Muraleedharan, meanwhile, opined that it is not the chief minister candidate but the team UDF that will work hard to wrest back power in the state. Sunny Joseph also said that the high command will decide the Chief Minister.