Elevation of Sunny Joseph as KPCC chief reshapes Congress power play
KOCHI: The Congress party's announcement of Sunny Joseph as the new KPCC president has triggered a realignment of internal power blocs, while also showcasing a deliberate attempt at social balancing. The move gave outgoing chief K Sudhakaran a dignified exit and installed his close confidant at the top, keeping his influence intact, said sources.
Sunny, a three-time MLA and a practising Syro-Malabar Catholic, enjoys broad acceptability in his constituency and has received 'strong backing from Church leadership, including Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry, Archbishop Thomas Tharayil of Changanacherry, and the Ernakulam Archdiocese,' sources told TNIE.
Sources said 'mounting displeasure from influential dioceses' had created pressure on the Congress leadership to ensure that the KPCC president's post went to a Syro-Malabar Christian. The decision is viewed as a strategic step to retain the traditional Catholic vote bank that had started warming up to the BJP.
The Congress high command also ensured social balance. Alongside Sunny's elevation, Adoor Prakash, an Ezhava, was made UDF convenor; P C Vishnunath, a Nair, and Shafi Parambil, a Muslim, were appointed working presidents, along with A P Anil Kumar from the SC community. Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal succeeded in placing two of his loyalists — Vishnunath and Anil Kumar — in key roles. However, Venugopal's third preferred name, Anto Antony, was left out — marking a significant setback and indicates his waning influence with the Congress High Command.
Anto had positioned himself as the Catholic face of the party with 'support from Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Church,' but his campaign reportedly suffered due to a lack of acceptance from the Syro-Malabar hierarchy -- especially Changanacherry, Ernakulam-Angamaly, and Tellicherry -- and a disconnect with grassroots workers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
31 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Boy's death in Nilambur: Congress seeks Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's response on Forest Minister's ‘conspiracy' remark
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph has sought Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's response on Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran's remark alleging a 'conspiracy' related to the electrocution of a 15-year-old boy near Nilambur in Malappuram district on June 7. Ananthu, alias Jithu, was electrocuted by an illegal electrical trap meant for wild boars. Addressing the media here on Monday (June 9, 2025), the Congress leader also demanded that the Minister apologise for the statement, which smacked of 'arrogance' and 'rudeness'. He was in Kozhikode to open a protest against the National Highways Authority of India. 'Who, other than the government, is responsible for wild animals entering human habitations? Isn't the Forest Minister responsible for the scenario? Isn't he a failure as a Minister? Who is supposed to take action against the illegal use of electricity? There is no point in engaging in flip-flops now,' Mr. Joseph said. Asked about the criticisms against the protests taken out against the death of the boy by Opposition parties, he said that neither the Congress nor the United Democratic Front need any lessons in propriety from anyone. He criticised the CPI(M) and the Left Democratic Front for engaging in violence, especially on the floor of the Legislative Assembly during the presentation of the State Budget in 2015. 'When Rome burned, emperor Nero fiddled. When Radha, a plantation worker, was being mauled to death by a tiger in Wayanad, Mr. Saseendran was singing and having a nice time in Kozhikode. That shows how serious he is when it comes to wildlife issues,' he added.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Modi govt completes a year of 3rd term, 11 years overall: ‘Shift from negativism to optimism post 2014', says Nadda
As the Narendra Modi-led NDA government marks its first anniversary in its third term, BJP chief J P Nadda, said that the work done under the Prime Minister's leadership towards good governance, and welfare of the poor will be etched in 'golden letters'. The BJP-led government also completes 11 years on Monday since it came to power at the Centre in 2014. PM Modi took oath for a third term on June 9, 2024. 'Work done by the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi in the past 11 years were extraordinary, and should be written in golden letters,' Nadda said in a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. Emphasising on a shift post 2014, Nadda said: 'That government [Congress-led UPA] before 2014 was full of corruption. There was a negativism. However, after 2014, there was a shift from negativism to optimism. Every one today says 'Modi hai toh mumkin hai''. Crediting the PM for transforming the political culture, Nadda came down heavily on the Congress-led UPA government prior to 2014. 'Eleven years ago, our political culture was marked by appeasement, and breaking the fragments of the society to save one's 'chair'. But after Modiji came to power, politics of performance, responsive and responsible government, accountable, politics of report card, emerged to form the new culture. The 'new normal', new order' has been established. It is an effective government, it is a government which has taken strong decisions… It has turned to be a transparent government and a futuristic government,' he said. Nadda also quoted PM Modi underlining, 'This decade will prove to be the base of development of future 'Viksit Bharat'. He cited Article 370 repeal in Jammu and Kashmir, abolition of triple talaq, Waqf Amendment Act, demonetisation, women quota bill as some of the 'bold decisions' takes by the BJP government under PM Modi's leadership. 'This is the change, this is the bold decision taken by the BJP government,' Nadda added.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Last 11 years a blow to country's democracy, economy, social fabric: Mallikarjun Kharge
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday said the Modi government in the last 11 years has dealt a deep blow to the country's democracy, economy and social fabric. In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government has only "smeared the ink of dictatorship" on every page of the Constitution in these 11 years. "The BJP-RSS has weakened every constitutional institution and attacked their autonomy," he said. "Whether it is going against public opinion and toppling governments through the back door or forcibly imposing one-party dictatorship, during this period, the rights of the states have been ignored and the federal structure has weakened," Kharge said.
