Race begins for Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president post

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are several aspirants to occupy the chair vacated by  KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran on Friday. They include  MLAs K. Muraleedharan, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, V. D. Satheesan and P. T. Thomas;  MPs K. V. Thomas, Mullapally Ramachandran and Kodikunnil Suresh;  former Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran and  KPCC vice-president M. M. Hassan. Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is currently in the  US for medical treatment is expected to return  next week. AICC sources told DC that   former chief minister Oommen Chandy or one among the five vice-presidents will be given temporary charge.

Mr  Muraleedharan may not get the post  considering the communal equations. “Since Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala belongs to the  Nair community,  the new KPCC president has to be either a Christian or an Ezhava. In that case, either K. V. Thomas,  P. T. Thomas or Mullapally Ramachandran may get a chance.  But  senior Congress leader A. K. Antony will have a say in the matter,”  said a top Congress leader.  Mr  Sudhakaran’s  style has not been appreciated by  Mr Antony.   K. V. Thomas is acceptable to the AICC leadership as well as  the two groups in the state Congress.  The  leaders are not sure about the capabilities of P. T. Thomas to become  PCC chief.