UDF victory: Congress’s organisational strength makes the difference

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress is often mocked with the saying that it labours all day only to falter at the end. This time, however, the party did not stumble. It put in sustained effort and delivered results. While the victory is credited to the UDF collectively, the Congress’s strong internal unity proved to be a key factor.

V D Satheesan showed great care in carrying out his responsibilities, not only as Leader of the Opposition but also as UDF chairman. KPCC president Sunny Joseph and UDF convener Adoor Prakash worked closely with him. Senior leaders such as Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala, former KPCC presidents K Sudhakaran and K Muraleedharan, and KPCC working presidents A P Anilkumar, P C Vishnunath, and Shafi Parambil remained active and ensured the party stayed energetic throughout the campaign.

Regular communication with UDF constituent parties helped build trust and made decision-making smooth. Senior leaders were given district-level responsibilities, with K Muraleedharan overseeing Thiruvananthapuram and V D Satheesan in charge of Ernakulam, among others.

During the campaign, sexual allegations were raised against MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. Without allowing rivals to exploit the issue, the party acted swiftly by asking him to resign as Youth Congress president. He was also suspended from the party and the parliamentary party, setting a responsible example.

Although there were some dissenting voices within the Congress initially, many later realised the benefit of this decisive action. As the complaint intensified and legal proceedings began, the party’s firm stand in distancing itself from Rahul was seen as a strong and principled move. Despite attempts by the LDF to politicise the issue, the strategy did not succeed due to the Congress’s early intervention.

Another factor that strengthened the Congress was its clear understanding of the political situation. Leaders realised that another defeat in the Assembly elections would make a comeback extremely difficult. This local body election victory has boosted confidence that the party can move forward with determination towards the next Assembly polls.