JOIN USCongress in Kerala being revamped with Chandy back to forefront
As part of strengthening the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala to face the upcoming Assembly elections, former Chief Minister and AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy is being brought back to the forefront of the leadership in the state.
A meeting by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi and A K Antony with the leaders from Kerala was learnt to have reached a consensus in this regard.
Chandy, who was Chief Minister in the previous Congress government from 2011 to 2016, had been voluntarily keeping off from the UDF leadership after the defeat of the front in the 2016 Assembly polls. Ramesh Chennitha was leading the front as opposition leader thereafter.
However, following the poor performance of the front in the recent local body polls, despite several adverse factors against the main opponent ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front, there was a call from within the UDF for a leadership change. Hence the Congress leadership now decided to bring Chandy back to the forefront, along with Chennithala.
Antony and other leaders said after the meeting with party high command that Chandy, Chennithala and other senior leaders including Kerala PCC president Mullapally Ramachandran would unitedly lead the front in the elections and decision on who would be the Chief Minister (if the UDF wins) would be taken after the elections.
Apart from curbing the groupism within the party, the major intention of the decision to bring back Chandy to the forefront is also to keep the Christian vote banks of Kerala, which comes to nearly 20 per cent, intact. Mass connect, popularity and affinity with all coalition partners are also considered as plus points of Chandy, who is now 77 and legislator for over 50 years in a row.
The leadership also decided to give more prominence to new faces and youngsters and make competency rather that groupism the criteria for candidate selection.