<p>The shake-up in the Congress leadership in Kerala is being widely considered as a surgical strike by the AICC ahead of the crucial 2026 assembly election as well as the local body election that are due to happen this year.</p><p>Representations to all prominent communities and generations, bringing to the forefront only those with proven electoral track records and a generation shift are the key highlights of the shake-up, which political observers even consider as a strong message to the groupisms that indeed played the spoilsport for the party in the 2021 election by conceding a defeat to the Pinarayi Vijayan led Left Democratic Front for the second time in a row.</p><p>If one has to find a fault with the shake-up, it could be only the lack of women representation.</p><p>Though there are criticisms that three time MLA Sunny Joseph, who has been made the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, is an unfamiliar face among the masses, he has a proven track record with hattrick victory from Peravoor in Kannur and also a key political strategist for the Congress. His speeches in the assembly itself vindicate his political skills and also have a clean image.</p>.Sunny Joseph is new Congress president in Kerala, Adoor Prakash UDF convenor.<p>The AICC seems to have given due credits for his skills while zeroing in on him even as there were reports that outgoing president K Sudhakaran preferred Sunny Joseph than Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony, who was another frontrunner.</p><p>"Sunny Joseph has now received a wider platform to use his capabilities. From his track record, it is quite certain that he will perform as he is widely regarded as a no nonsense person," said senior journalist and political observer Jacob George.</p><p>He also pointed out that it was crucial for the Congress to have a leader from the Christian community in the leadership especially since the BJP is making all out efforts to woo the Christian votes.</p><p>Attingal MP Adoor Prakash's entry as United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor not only helps in pleasing the Hindu-Ezhava community, the largest Hindu community in the state. Prakash is widely considered as a seasoned leader with skills to handle difficult situations. His victory from Attingal constituency in Thiruvananthapuram in this election is an instance as he defeated CPM's district secretary V Joy with a thin majority of 684 votes despite all out efforts by the CPM.</p><p>Similarly all the three new working presidents, MLAs A P Anilkumar and P C Vishnunath and Shafi Parambil MP, are also leaders with proven track records. </p><p>"It seems that merit has been the yardstick for this shake-up in the Congress and the AICC seems to have sent a strong message against groupism," said George.</p>
<p>The shake-up in the Congress leadership in Kerala is being widely considered as a surgical strike by the AICC ahead of the crucial 2026 assembly election as well as the local body election that are due to happen this year.</p><p>Representations to all prominent communities and generations, bringing to the forefront only those with proven electoral track records and a generation shift are the key highlights of the shake-up, which political observers even consider as a strong message to the groupisms that indeed played the spoilsport for the party in the 2021 election by conceding a defeat to the Pinarayi Vijayan led Left Democratic Front for the second time in a row.</p><p>If one has to find a fault with the shake-up, it could be only the lack of women representation.</p><p>Though there are criticisms that three time MLA Sunny Joseph, who has been made the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, is an unfamiliar face among the masses, he has a proven track record with hattrick victory from Peravoor in Kannur and also a key political strategist for the Congress. His speeches in the assembly itself vindicate his political skills and also have a clean image.</p>.Sunny Joseph is new Congress president in Kerala, Adoor Prakash UDF convenor.<p>The AICC seems to have given due credits for his skills while zeroing in on him even as there were reports that outgoing president K Sudhakaran preferred Sunny Joseph than Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony, who was another frontrunner.</p><p>"Sunny Joseph has now received a wider platform to use his capabilities. From his track record, it is quite certain that he will perform as he is widely regarded as a no nonsense person," said senior journalist and political observer Jacob George.</p><p>He also pointed out that it was crucial for the Congress to have a leader from the Christian community in the leadership especially since the BJP is making all out efforts to woo the Christian votes.</p><p>Attingal MP Adoor Prakash's entry as United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor not only helps in pleasing the Hindu-Ezhava community, the largest Hindu community in the state. Prakash is widely considered as a seasoned leader with skills to handle difficult situations. His victory from Attingal constituency in Thiruvananthapuram in this election is an instance as he defeated CPM's district secretary V Joy with a thin majority of 684 votes despite all out efforts by the CPM.</p><p>Similarly all the three new working presidents, MLAs A P Anilkumar and P C Vishnunath and Shafi Parambil MP, are also leaders with proven track records. </p><p>"It seems that merit has been the yardstick for this shake-up in the Congress and the AICC seems to have sent a strong message against groupism," said George.</p>