New KPCC president Sunny Joseph (left) with former president K. Sudhakaran.
| Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran
Hardly a few months ahead of the local body elections this year and the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala, the newly appointed Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Sunny Joseph, whose political activity is largely confined to Kannur district, appears to face a more daunting task than his predecessors, K. Sudhakaran and Mullappally Ramachandran, both of whom are from north Kerala.
Although the Congress high command chose Mr. Joseph, who is perceived to be a confidant of Mr. Sudhakaran, the latter’s remarks expressing objections to the manner he was replaced have further complicated matters for the Congress leaders. Mr Joseph, who was in Kozhikode on Friday (May 16, 2025), refused to react to Mr. Sudhakaran’s statement.
Whether Mr. Joseph, a three-time legislator, can pull off a victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the 2026 Assembly polls remains to be seen. The three-tier local body elections, expected in October or November this year, will thus be a litmus test and early indicator of his leadership effectiveness, party sources said.
Mr. Joseph’s appointment comes at a time when the electoral fortunes of the Congress party have been dwindling steadily over the last decade, especially in the Assembly polls. Particularly in the six districts of north Kerala, where the party has just six legislators of 60 Assembly segments and lacks representation in the Kozhikode and Kasaragod districts. Statewide, the Congress party has 21 MLAs of the total 140.
Unlike seasoned politicians like Mr. Sudhakaran and Mr. Mullappally, Mr. Joseph’s popularity is limited. Mr. Sudhakaran was a four-term member of the Legislative Assembly and was a minister in A. K. Antony’s third ministry, and was elected from the Kannur parliamentary constituency twice, while Mr. Ramachandran was a five-time MP from the Kannur constituency and twice from Vadakara and was also a Union Minister for Home Affairs from 2009 to 2014.
Hopeful of bouncing back
Nevertheless, second-rung leaders are hopeful of the party bouncing back.
Kozhikode District Congress Committee (DCC) president K. Praveen Kumar says that “Mr. Sunny Joseph is a leader of the masses. He is well connected with the grassroots-level workers and knows their pulse. The workers will follow him ardently.”
Congress leaders also point out that the Congress high command selected Mr. Joseph to lead the KPCC as a strategic move for various reasons. While his acceptability across factions is one, his rapport with the Syro-Malabar Church clergy has been a major factor. The Christian Community has perhaps been the greatest support base for the Congress in the State. But the base has been slowly eroding, especially in the south and central Kerala, and the leadership is aware of it, sources said.
The community has not concealed its displeasure to the party leadership that there was no one from the community in the top leadership, especially after A.K. Antony retired from active politics and Oommen Chandy passed away. P.P. Thankachan was the last KPCC president from the Christian community, and it was two decades ago.
Published – May 17, 2025 03:43 pm IST
