Decks cleared for new Congress President in Kerala as Sudhakaran says to ready to move out

Thiruvananthapuram (The Uttam Hindu): Days before top Congress leaders from Kerala reach Delhi on the party high command's summons, state unit President K. Sudhakaran on Wednesday said he is ready to move out. Sudhakaran, who is also a Lok Sabha member from Kannur, said it is the high command to decide who should hold the post. "The high command is free to decide on what they think is best. If they wish to move me, they are free to do so and what’s wrong with that? I have got all the posts and I have no complaints at all," he said.

With his statement, any confusion on how Sudhakaran would react has been dispelled and now the ball is in the court of the high command which will sit down later this week. Among those who have been asked to come for the meeting are Sudhakaran, Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan and eight former state party Presidents - Ramesh Chennithala, K. Muraleedharan, V.M. Sudheeran, M.M. Hassan, A.K. Antony, Vayalar Ravi. K. Padmarajan, P.P. Thankachen, and Thennala Balakrishna Pillai. With Sudhakaran all set to bow out, the discussion to find his replacement is going to be an arduous task for the high command and by now, a few names have all started to take the rounds. According to a source in the know of things, the high command had commissioned two agencies besides a report prepared by AICC General Secretary in charge, Kerala, Deepa Das Munshi after she individually met a cross-section of party leaders here. The high command is going to play their cards carefully as a section feels the next state President should either be a Christian or a Hindu Ezhava and 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.

Likewise, bringing in veteran Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh, who belongs to the SC category, is also being reported. Of late, with the CPI-M seen to be striving for Hindu consolidation, the Congress is expecting that a new President 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.