Cong brass meets Kerala leaders to discuss strategy
According to party leaders, it was also decided that K Sudhakaran will continue as the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president
The Congress leaders of the Kerala state unit met the high command in New Delhi on Friday to “deliberate on political strategy and the future of the state”, people aware of the matter said.
“We held a meeting of Kerala Congress leaders where we deliberated on our political strategy and the future of the state,” party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X. He added, “Change is inevitable in Kerala. Congress has built the development paradigm and welfare model of Kerala, and we will do everything possible to bring our UDF to power. Next year, people will defeat both the oppressive and communal fronts in the state.”
The meeting was held to discuss the party’s preparation for local body polls later this year and state assembly polls next year. Held at the Congress headquarters, Indira Bhavan, the meeting was attended by Kharge, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary KC Venugopal, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, state in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, Kerala Congress president K Sudhakaran, MP Shashi Tharoor, and other senior state leaders.
According to party leaders, it was also decided that K Sudhakaran will continue as the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and that there will be no change in leadership in the state for the time being.
Venugopal, after the meeting, told the media, “This was the best meeting in the history of the Congress in Kerala. All the Congress leaders in Kerala are united and there are no problems.”
Congress in-charge for Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi said, “The high command has called on the leaders to have complete unity within the Congress. Everyone is moving forward with that call in mind. There is an anti-people government in Kerala. The sole aim of bringing down that government will guide every Congressman for the next one year. No one will be allowed to make different statements in front of the media. The party has decided to move forward through a collective leadership by considering all matters with each other.”
She said, “We should not do or say anything which disrespects the people of Kerala as we have no right to do so.” She added, “Wrong impression created that there’s no unity in Congress in Kerala. Leaders are strongly united, will speak in univocal voice.”
The development took place in the backdrop of Tharoor’s comments, which were seen as favourable towards the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, sparking criticism within his party. He had praised the LDF for its efforts in improving the investment climate in the state. Tharoor later defended himself, accusing the media of misrepresenting his remarks made in a Malayalam podcast.
Tharoor also took to X and said that the meeting “ended in a strong affirmation of party unity as we head into the election season.”
Following the meeting, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said, “The Congress high command has concluded just now. The Congress will fight together, there are no differences and everyone is united and will fight for the people of Kerala. The government of Kerala has totally failed on all fronts. So, we will fight together and a UDF government will be installed in 2026.”
