Chandy, Chennithala lose everything, Sudhakaran and Satheesan will decide things now, what is happening in Congress are things never seen before

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the list of DCC presidents came out yesterday, one thing was clear as a day. The grip of Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala, who have been the backbones of the Congress party in Kerala for decades, are being loosened. This was almost clear earlier when the opposition leader and KPCC chief were selected. When the DCC presidents were announced, it came out in the open. Now the party will revolve around the axis of Sudhakaran and Satheesan. Even when K Karunakaran and A K Antony led the party in the state, Oommen Chandy and Chennithala took many important decisions.

Chandy and Chennithala had differences of opinion on several decisions of the party and it was informed to all India leadership. However, it did not receive significant consideration there also. Both have intense resentment on it, but they were not ready to express it publicly. Satheesan's words that pressure will not work and will not happen are a warning to Oommen Chandy and Chennithala. Sudhakaran and Satheesan have the blessings of K C Venugopal, who has a significant influence in the high command. All the things happening in the party now are with the consent of him.

The leadership rejected many of the names proposed by Oommen Chandy as DCC presidents. Oommen Chandy batted for Philson Mathews in Kottayam. Instead, Suresh Nattakam was appointed. Though Chandy suggested Suresh's name, he is closer to Thiruvanchoor. Oommen Chandy's misfortune came when K Muraleedharan, P J Kurien and Kodikunnil Suresh were able to appoint one closer to them.

Chennithala suffered the loss more. Majority of those who were with him are not with him now. They all looked for their own position and joined the Sudhakaran faction and others. Some party sources hinted Satheesan is reacting against Chennithala. It is alleged that Chennithala had ousted Satheesan, who was to get a cabinet berth in 2011. The revenge for that is now paying off.

Explosions are nothing new in Congress. Those not getting a post will turn against the leadership. They will say things which come in their mouths. At the end of the day, they will be given a post. Then will forget everything. There is a clear indication now that it will no longer be there in the Congress again. Shortly after the announcement of the DCC presidents, senior leaders Sivadasan Nair and KP Anilkumar were suspended. It was a clever move by Sudhakaran in the face of an explosion in the name of not getting a seat.