Is Congress Ready for a Major Overhaul in Kerala with New Leadership?

Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (NationPress) Just under two weeks post the appointment of Sunny Joseph as the new president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), the Congress central leadership is gearing up for a significant restructuring at both state and district levels within the region.

Sources familiar with the situation indicate that this reorganization will be driven by two pivotal reports — one authored by strategist Sunil Kanugolu and the other by Deepa Das Munshi, the AICC general secretary overseeing Kerala.

Both documents underline the Congress party’s fragile grassroots presence in Kerala, particularly when juxtaposed with competitors CPI(M) and BJP, who boast a formidable booth-level network. The reports call for immediate corrective actions to bridge this organizational gap.

This revamp is also a response to evolving leadership dynamics. The previously influential figures such as K. Karunakaran, A.K. Antony, Oommen Chandy, Vayalar Ravi, and Ramesh Chennithala have seen their power diminish.

While Karunakaran and Chandy have passed away, Ravi has stepped back from the public eye, Antony is nearing the end of his political journey, and Chennithala’s influence has waned significantly since the Congress-led UDF’s surprising defeat in the 2021 assembly elections.

A political analyst, who preferred to remain unnamed, remarked that the central leadership has become more assertive since 2021, particularly after selecting V.D. Satheesan as the Leader of the Opposition over Chennithala, despite the latter's stronger backing within the legislative assembly.

Additionally, the appointment of K. Sudhakaran as KPCC chief has also undergone changes with Joseph now taking the helm.

“With Sudhakaran’s departure, a further restructuring seems inevitable. Unlike previous times where senior leaders shared significant positions, this overhaul will unmistakably reflect the high command's influence and may introduce several fresh faces,” the observer noted.

The urgency of these changes is also tied to the forthcoming local body elections later this year and the state assembly elections scheduled for April-May 2026.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front has already made it clear that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is aiming for a third consecutive term.

Political analysts are keenly observing whether Congress will revert to forming large committees or heed the reports’ suggestions to establish smaller, merit-based teams.

All attention will also be directed toward K.C. Venugopal, a prominent figure in the AICC and the most influential Congress leader from Kerala, to assess his impact on shaping the new party framework.