Although Congress does not plan to announce a chief ministerial candidate ahead of the elections, the party views prominent Nair leaders as the top choice for the role.
Published Mar 01, 2025 | 11:20 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 01, 2025 | 11:20 AM
VD Satheesan in Delhi. (X)
Synopsis: VD Satheesan ruled himself out of the chief ministerial race, while prominent Nair leaders remain top contenders. Rahul Gandhi advocated for a unified strategy, with Priyanka Gandhi pushing for a women-focused manifesto. Women leaders demanded 33 percent ticket allocation, and the party emphasized unity and collective leadership.
On Friday, 28 February, the Congress high command held a meeting with the Kerala unit, following weeks of tensions.
According to party sources, the Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan has ruled himself out of the chief ministerial race for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, stating that other deserving candidates exist.
Although Congress does not plan to announce a chief ministerial candidate ahead of the elections, the party views prominent Nair leaders as the top choice for the role. The top contenders for the post remain Ramesh Chennithala, KC Venugopal, VD Satheeshan and Shashi Tharoor
During a meeting with Congress high command, he predicted UDF would secure 100 Assembly seats, with Congress alone winning up to 65.
Rahul Gandhi questioned the need for categorizing constituencies into A, B, and C, urging an all-out winning strategy instead. Mallikarjun Kharge warned leaders against praising Modi or Pinarayi Vijayan, indirectly targeting Shashi Tharoor.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi, who made her parliamentary debut from Kerala’s Wayanad, pushed for an early women-focused manifesto, prioritizing Anganwadi and ASHA workers.
Senior leaders, including Chennithala and K Sudhakaran, emphasized the need to project unity to the public.
Women leaders Bindu Krishna, Jebi Mather, and Shanimol Usman demanded that 33 percent of the party’s election tickets be allocated to women candidates. In response, Rahul Gandhi asked them to clarify their specific expectations—whether they wanted a fixed number of seats, particular constituencies, or any other specific criteria for implementing the 33 percent reservation.
Amid internal tensions within the Kerala unit of Congress, the crucial meeting in Delhi reaffirmed K Sudhakaran’s position as KPCC president and called for unity. While speculations of leadership change and internal discord had been rife, Congress leaders, emphasised collective leadership and a focused strategy to challenge the ruling LDF.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
