On Wednesday morning, Congress leader K Sudhakaran assumed office as the new Kerala Congress Pradesh Committee president. The million dollar question on the lips of those who follow Congress politics in Kerala is -- can Kannur strongman K Sudhakaran revive the party's fortunes in the state? The Congress party is going through its worst ever crisis period, ever since it was humbled by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the April 6 assembly polls.
Sudhakaran is presently the Kannur Lok Sabha member and was also a former State Minister in the AK Antony cabinet (2001-04).
A media critic on condition of anonymity said it's not going to be easy for Sudhakaran, if you look into his predecessors and the way they ran the show.
"Everyone knows that Congress politics in Kerala has always been centered around factions and his immediate two predecessors - VM Sudheeran and Mullapally Ramachandran never got the full support of the faction managers -- Oommen Chandy and outgoing Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and to a large extent, it was the primary reason for them to have an early exit," said the critic.
"But one difference between those two and Sudhakaran is the latter is not a pushover personality and that's best known to the CPI(M) in Kannur. Even his detractors will admit, had it not been for Sudhakaran, the party would have been wiped out in Kannur. So things will unfurl, once Sudhakaran hits the road for reviving the party," added the critic.
Sudhakaran, though not the choice of the Chandy-Chennithala combine, has gone on record to say that he will do nothing on his own and will always take the advice of the two before he makes any major changes to the style and functioning of the party.
Oommen Chandy has also said, "now that the party high command has selected Sudhakaran, all will rally behind him and will go forward with him at the helm.”
It's just going to be a matter of time for all to see on the strategy of Sudhakaran, as one will be able to see if he downsizes the massive size of the state and district level committees and if he does that, it would be a clear signal to the senior party veterans, that he means business, as all along such committee's hitherto were parking bays for the close aides of the two.
Congress leader VD Satheesan was made the Opposition Leader last month. There is one more post to be filled and it's that of the United Democratic Front convenor.