Hectic parleys in Delhi over new Kerala Congress chief

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, May 3 (IANS) Speculation regarding the change of guard in the Kerala unit of Congress strengthened on Saturday after party president K. Sudhakaran reached New Delhi.

Sudhakarana met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, and a few others, including the AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepadas Munshi.

Kannur MP Sudhakaran, 76, who has not been keeping well, is not able to do justice to his post, especially when the state is all set to go for the local body elections later this year and the Assembly polls in 2026.

According to sources, the party leadership has already briefed Sudhakaran about the need for a change.

Sudhakaran is the top party leader in Kannur district, where he has won all his electoral battles.

The exercise of finding Sudhakaran's successor has been going on for the past few months, and Munshi, after discussions with numerous party leaders in Kerala, has submitted her report on what all needs to be considered when the new party president is chosen.

The Congress leadership will also talk to party veteran A. K. Antony, who is leading a retired life in the state capital city, before making the big decision.

The Congress leadership is going to play their cards carefully as a section feels the next state party chief should either be a Christian or a Hindu Ezhava. The names of Congress MPs Adoor Prakash, Anto Antony, Benny Behanan and two-time young legislator Rogi M. John and legislator Sunny Joseph, who is considered to be the closest aide of Sudhakaran, are doing rounds for the post.

Of late, with the CPI-M seen to be striving for Hindu consolidation, the Congress is expecting that a new party president for the state from the minority community will fetch rewards, and that's one reason why several Christian aspirants for the post are being touted.

Of the minority communities, Christians comprise around 17 to 18 per cent and the Muslim community around 23 to 24 per cent of the 3.30 crore population in the state.

--IANS

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