'I' group making preparation in Congress; move against new axis in party

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With 15 months to go before the assembly elections, disgruntled old I-group members of the state Congress are reviving the expansive I-group. The battle is against the moves by the Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan with the support of the Youth Congress to take hold of the KPCC as well after the Congress Legislature. The Ramesh side has the support of K Sudhakaran and K Muralidharan in this regard.

UDF had managed to increase its majority in the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and the Palakkad assembly seat in the by-elections after its resounding victory in the last parliamentary elections. Although VD Satheesan was at the helm of the campaign, KPCC president K Sudhakaran also claimed the credit for the victory. They feel that the move of the Satheesan group to replace Sudhakaran and replace him with someone they like as the president is to take control of the organization.

VD Satheeshan increased his popularity in the party high command with the victory in the elections. Satheeshan has the support of AICC organizing general secretary KC Venugopal and Kerala in-charge general secretary Deepa Dasmunshi.

Chief Minister's seat, a challenge

The UDF is counting on coming to power in the next assembly elections. However, senior Congress leaders are at odds over who should become the Chief Minister. As the leader of the opposition, VD Satheesan will be the chief ministerial candidate. Satheesan also has the support of the Youth Congress leadership in this regard. K Sudhakaran may not be a threat to Satheesan in this regard.

However, Ramesh Chennithala, Shashi Tharoor MP and K Muralidharan may also stake claim. KC Venugopal's name is also doing the rounds. The opposition believes that Satheesan's aim is to make himself the chief minister and his ally the KPCC president if he gets power. That is why the opposite faction is opposing the immediate transfer of Sudhakaran, forgetting personal interests. It is also a matter of how changing Sudhakaran, a member of the Ezhava community, will reflect in the elections. There is also criticism that Deepa Dasmunshi, who only listens to one section of the state leadership, has no understanding of the communal equations in Kerala.

Orphaned Group A

The remaining strength of Group A drained away with the demise of Oommen Chandy. Managers KC Joseph and Benny Bahanan are no longer active in the group. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan favours Satheesan. Youth Congress former state president Shafi Parambil MP and current president Rahul Mamkootathil MLA who were Group A nominees are on Satheesan's side. It is also noteworthy that the old A group members were not ready to support Oommen Chandy's son Chandy Oommen's complaint that he was neglected in the Palakkad by-election.