Thiruvananthapuram, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : Internal strife is resurfacing within the Congress party in Kerala, particularly between the United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor Adur Prakash and Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. Observers are keenly watching the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) next steps as the party grapples with its longstanding issues of factionalism.
The tensions escalated when Prakash publicly criticized the Chief Minister for not consulting the UDF on significant government decisions. He stated that his remarks were based on his experience as UDF convenor and were necessary for accountability.
Prakash hinted at escalating his grievances to the AICC, signaling a potential showdown. However, Satheesan’s faction is reluctant to view Prakash’s intervention as an isolated incident. Questions are being raised within the group about whether Prakash’s criticism received tacit support from senior leaders.
Doubts have also been cast on the role of AICC General Secretary Deepa Das Munshi, as this conflict highlights the persistent issue of factional politics within the Congress. The party has faced similar internal struggles from the eras of K. Karunakaran and A.K. Antony to the leadership of Oommen Chandy and now under Satheesan.
The controversy has reignited factional dynamics soon after the Congress-led UDF returned to power. Prakash’s faction is looking to the AICC for intervention, while Satheesan’s group is assessing whether the central leadership will back the Chief Minister’s stance.
Delays in organizational restructuring are also viewed through the lens of factional rivalry. One faction suspects that this process is being intentionally prolonged. Despite four months passing since Satheesan took office and Sunny Joseph became the electricity minister, the announcement of a new party president remains pending. This delay has further embarrassed the party, with factional disputes being cited as a key reason.
In response, AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal has stated that the party has mechanisms to resolve internal differences, emphasizing that the central leadership will take initiative in addressing these issues. He also made it clear that publicizing such disputes is not in the party’s interest.
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