The All India Congress Committee (AICC) seemed to skirt around factional politics in the Congress in Kerala by elevating Shashi Tharoor, MP, to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body.
Mr. Tharoor had acquired a national profile in the Congress by contesting, though unsuccessfully, against Mallikarjun Kharge, for the post of AICC president.
The AICC seemed to broadcast that it was earnest in democratising its internal function by promoting Mr. Tharoor, the “high-profile dissenter” who campaigned against the “official candidate” promising “change and not continuity” to the CWC.
It also overlooked inner-party criticism about Mr Tharoor’s alleged absenteeism from organisational affairs in Kerala and his “penchant to operate outside the party’s framework”.
Factors in play
The AICC also gave weight to Mr Tharoor’s erudition, focused political messaging, outsized social media presence, and an almost umbilical connection with the aspirational younger generation.
The AICC’s move, including the elevation of Sachin Pilot to CWC, was seen as a political gambit to deny high-profile dissenters any incentive to form their parties or to defect to rival outfits.
The appointments also signalled a generational shift in the party’s hierarchy.
The AICC has also ensured veteran leader A.K. Antony’s continuation in the CWC, despite his son and former Congress leader, Anil Antony’s, defection to the BJP.
Mr. Anil’s vast political experience counted. AICC also wanted to offset any imputation of a falling out with the veteran leader because of Mr. Anil’s high-profile desertion, his strident criticism of Rahul Gandhi, and high praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The inclusion of the AICC general secretary (organisation), K.C. Venugopal, was anticipated, given his national role.
Nevertheless, the stratagem seemed to have made KPCC’s struggle for like-mindedness within the party in the run-up to Puthuppally by-election and beyond more onerous.
For one, the party’s powerful I-faction had anticipated that senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala would ascend to the CWC.
The group loyalists privately expressed disappointment that the AICC overlooked Mr. Chennithala to the advantage of relatively junior leaders in the party.
They felt the AICC decision would prompt Mr. Chennithala to play a larger role in Kerala politics and fill the void left by Oommen Chandy’s passing and A. K. Antony’s retreat from active politics.
