Kerala LoP Satheesan Clarifies CM Candidacy
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Synopsis
On February 6, V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, clarified that neither he nor any Congress leader is pursuing the chief ministerial position, emphasizing that such decisions are made solely by the party high command in response to comments made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Key Takeaways
- Satheesan denies CM candidacy
- Party high command makes decisions
- Vijayan remarks spark tension
- Past incidents highlighted by Satheesan
- Kerala elections scheduled for 2026
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 6 (NationPress) The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan, unequivocally refuted rumors regarding Congress' chief ministerial candidate on Thursday, emphasizing that decisions concerning such matters rest solely with the party's high command.
These statements were made following a comment from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan concerning the internal dynamics of the Congress party.
"Neither I nor any other Congress leader is vying for the chief minister’s position. It is well understood that the party high command will make the decision at the appropriate time. We do not require any guidance from Vijayan on this matter," Satheesan remarked.
This dialogue was sparked by an incident at a state-run diaspora organization NORKA’s event, where business mogul Ravi Pillai was honored. During the event's welcoming speech, the organizer referred to veteran Congress member Ramesh Chennithala as the "next Chief Minister of Kerala," in front of Vijayan.
Clearly annoyed, Vijayan later commented that the remark could become a "bomb" within the Congress party. It has also been reported that he privately expressed significant displeasure regarding the organizer's statement.
In response to Vijayan's sarcasm, Satheesan indicated that he could retaliate. "If Vijayan continues making ‘jokes’ about Congress, I will have to remind him of certain events from 2006 and 2011," he stated.
In 2006, leading up to the Assembly elections, then-Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan -- poised to spearhead the CPI(M) campaign -- was initially denied a ticket. However, significant public outcry compelled the party to reverse its decision, ultimately leading to his appointment as Chief Minister.
A similar scenario unfolded in 2011 when Achuthanandan was again sidelined but received public support. He guided the CPI(M) toward a robust showing, nearly unseating the Congress-led UDF, which ultimately triumphed by a minimal margin of just two seats in the 140-member assembly, securing 72 against LDF’s 68.
The rivalry between Vijayan and Achuthanandan spanned many years, and despite Achuthanandan leading the 2016 election campaign, he was overlooked for the chief minister’s position in favor of Vijayan.
Kerala is set to hold elections in April-May 2026, with Vijayan aiming for a third consecutive term.
