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Congress appoints VD Satheesan as leader of opposition in Kerala
A party team headed by senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge had met legislators last week to know their opinion. Though some of them supported Chennithala, a majority reportedly favoured a change in the party and that helped Satheesan to get the new post.
After days of uncertainty and long deliberations, the Congress on Saturday, selected senior leader VD Satheesan as the leader of opposition in Kerala. After having suffered a humiliating defeat in the recent assembly polls, the party’s strength has been reduced to 21 in the 140-member house.
Satheesan (56) takes over the mantle from Ramesh Chennithala who took up many popular issues and unearthed several alleged omissions and commissions of the first Pinarayi Vijayan government.
The party high command’s decision to pick Satheesan is considered a major policy shift in the faction-ridden state unit. The party has also given enough hints that state unit president Mullapally Ramachandran will also be shifted. Sensing his imminent exit, the PCC chief has expressed his desire to quit. After the poll debacle many young leaders have sought a major operation in the party to check its further slide. In the state unit two powerful groups, one led by Chennithala and the other by former CM Oommen Chandy, have always called the shots.
A party team headed by senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge had met legislators last week to know their opinion. Though some of them supported Chennithala, a majority reportedly favoured a change in the party and that helped Satheesan to get the new post.
“We will work as a responsible opposition and extend all support to the government in its fight against the pandemic. Fight against communal forces will top the party’s main agenda,” said the new opposition leader. Former CM Chandy, Chennithala and Mullapally Ramachandran welcomed his elevation. There are reports that Chandy is upset with the decision but he later denied it saying it was only a creation of the media. There are speculations that Chennithala will be given a key party position in Delhi. Party strongman from Kannur, K Sudhakaran, is a top contender for the PCC chief’s post.
A five-time legislator from Paravur constituency in Ernakulam district-- Satheesan rose from the ranks. He started his political career when he was a student. He was the vice-president of the state unit and also served as the AICC secretary. A good debater and orator, his effective intervention in the house in crucial times was lauded. He is taking up the new position at a time when the party strength in the assembly has shrunk like never before and the party rank and file are demoralised after the crushing defeat in the recent assembly elections.
