CHANDY BACK IN THE SADDLE

The former Kerala CM’s entry has revitalised the Congress poll campaign

- Jeemon Jacob

A little late in the day, but on January 18, the Congress high command appointed Oommen Chandy, the former chief minister and AICC (All India Congress Committee) general secretary, to lead the party’s campaign in the assembly election scheduled for April 6. The 77-year-old’s re-entry into state politics seems to have energised party workers as the campaign heats up to dethrone the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government.

Party sources say it was a veteran leader and former defence minister A.K. Antony who was instrumental in bringing back Chandy. The Congress leadership had estimated that with leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala and PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) chief Mullappally Ramachandran pulling in opposite directions, something drastic had to be done. Sources say the affable Chandy has helped iron out issues in the party and the United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance.

The Congress-led UDF needs at least a 42 per cent vote share to make a comeback in the state. It was far behind on the target in the local body elections held in December last, managing only a 37.9 per cent vote share. With a major ally, the Kerala Congress (Mani) or KC(M) faction, joining the LDF, it may lose a 2.5 per cent vote share in central Kerala which has been a bastion of the Congress in the past. The Muslims in the north and the Christians and Nairs in central Kerala have been the backbone of every Congress victory in the past.