The debate in the Kerala Congress over the last few days was on whether veteran P J Kurien, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, should be given another term in the Upper House. The issue had pitted the young turks in the party against the old war horses. On Thursday, the Congress, in a surprise move, decided to give the seat to estranged ally Kerala Congress (M). The move marks the return of KC(M) to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala a year before Lok Sabha elections, but it has also triggered protests and resentment in the party. According to sources, senior Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty’s intervention was behind the Congress’s move to give the seat to KC(M). Muslim League is a constituent of the UDF. Among the three Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in Kerala, the CPI(M)-led LDF is in a position to win two seats while the Congress-led alliance can win one. The election is on June 21. Besides Kurien, KC(M)’s Joy Abraham and CPI(M)’s C P Narayanan are retiring, creating the vacancies. The Congress’s decision to give the seat to KC(M) came after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president M M Hassan held discussions with Congress president Rahul Gandhi along with KC(M)’s Jose K Mani and Kunhalikutty. Before this, the top Congress held several rounds of discussions at Kerala House. Chennithala said the proposal to give the seat to KC(M) was conveyed by state leaders to Rahul, which he accepted. However, there were objections within the Congress. Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran slammed the “unprecedented and surprising” move, calling it suicidal. “The Congress should have contested from the seat. that was the unanimous opinion of Congress workers. it cannot be seen as a move aimed at strengthening the alliance. the move will weaken the Congress and dampen the morale of workers. nobody can accept this decision,” he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. Speaking to reporters here, Chandy, now an AICC general secretary, said it was a “one-time” decision and should be considered as a “special case.” He said it was for strengthening the UDF. Hassan said the decision to bring back KC(M) to the UDF was taken unanimously by the UDF and Congress, and the move should be seen in that context. He said Kunhalikutty was merely given the responsibility of bringing back KC(M) to the UDF. The decision of the Congress at the national level was to rally all secular forces against the BJP, he added. “To strengthen the UDF in Kerala, it was necessary to bring back KC(M) to the alliance.. in order to fight against the Left and CPM in Kerala.” Chennithala said there was no pressure from the Muslim League. “There was no hard bargaining from anyone,” he said. Kunhalikutty said the decision should be seen as part of the Congress’s attempt to bring all secular forces together, like in Karnataka. As it became clear that he would not be renominated to the Rajya Sabha, Kurien is said to have written a letter to Rahul suggesting that if the ticket is not given to him, it should be given to some other Congress leader. He is said to have suggested the names of six leaders — among them Hassan, former KPCC president V M Sudheeran, P C Vishnunath and P C Chacko.
