Congress prefers Manoj Moothedan for Perumbavoor; Eldhose seeks DCC Chief post as compromise

KOCHI: After being denied a seat in the Perumbavoor assembly constituency, sitting MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly has come up with a new condition. Eldhose is now seeking the Ernakulam DCC chairmanship in exchange for vacating his claim on Perumbavoor. Although Eldhose Kunnappilly has officially informed the Congress leadership of this demand, the KPCC has not yet provided a positive response.

The party leadership cited ongoing legal proceedings and controversies surrounding Eldhose as the primary reasons for denying him the seat. It is reported that Manoj Moothedan will be the candidate in Perumbavoor instead of Kunnappilly. Manoj was selected from a panel approved by the High Command, which also considered Ullas Thomas. Eldhose staked his claim for the chairmanship once it was confirmed that the current Ernakulam DCC chairman, Mohammed Shiyas, would be the candidate for the Kochi constituency.

Meanwhile, a section of local Congress leaders is strongly protesting the exclusion of Eldhose Kunnappilly. They have questioned why the UDF is sidelining only Eldhose when the alliance has supported figures like PK Sasi, who have been involved in similar controversies. These activists believe Eldhose maintains a strong influence in the constituency and warn that replacing him could result in a significant setback for the party.