THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Discontent is on the rise among Congress leaders as many are giving credit only to Opposition Leader VD Satheesan for the Congress' victory in Thrikkakkara.

Following the Thrikkakkara victory, Hibi Eden MP had come up with a Facebook post about VD Satheesan titled 'Captain the Original'.This post had gone viral on social media. The first shot was fired by K Muraleedharan who said that the party achieved victory in Thrikkakkara due to teamwork and not because of any individual. Soon, Satheesan came up stating that he was not a captain but a front line fighter. However, a controversy erupted within the party when Satheesan was given a grand welcome in Thiruvananthapuram under the leadership of DCC.

Fluxes and posters of Satheesan appeared in various parts of the city. Hundreds of activists and leaders attended the reception given to Satheesan at the airport yesterday morning. As part of the reception, fluxes hailing Satheesan a 'leader' were set up in the name of various pro-Congress organizations. Sources said that even senior leaders are dissatisfied with this. Recognizing this, Satheesan told reporters at the airport that K Karunakaran was the only leader in the Congress. Later, on Satheesan's instructions, the activists removed the fluxes from the MLA hostel premises.

Satheesan-Sudhakaran leadership gains strength

Many leaders were dissatisfied with the fact that after the last assembly elections, the control of the state Congress was shifted to Satheesan and Sudhakaran, breaking all group equations. Things would have got ugly had it been a defeat in Thrikkakara or a victory by a slim majority. However, Satheesan's strength increased with the trumping win in Thrikkakkara. Following this, Satheesan was given a grand reception in Thiruvananthapuram by the DCC leaders and workers who supported him.

Many see the Thrikkakara result as a sign that the Satheesan-Sudhakaran leadership is getting stronger in the organizational elections. That is why the reception and flux campaign in the capital is causing dissatisfaction in one section.