Kochi: Leadership change in Congress’s Kerala unit has become almost certain amid the ongoing organisational uneasiness within the party. K Sudhakaran is most likely to be replaced as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president as the party is gearing up for a revamp ahead of the local body elections due later this year.

Sudhakaran himself gave clear hints of a possible replacement on Wednesday. “It’s up to the party high command to take a call. They can remove me or not. What’s the problem if they want to remove me? Whatever decision they take, I will obey it. I don’t have any complaint,” Sudhakaran told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

His response to media queries on speculations of his replacement comes two days ahead of a scheduled meeting of the party’s Kerala leadership with the high command. All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi will be meeting top leaders from the state in Delhi on Friday to discuss the organisational issues in the state unit and prepare the roadmap for the local body polls and the assembly elections due next year.

Sudhakaran’s response indicates that he has received clear signals of a change. When speculations of a possible leadership change arose a few weeks ago, he had aired his displeasure over not being consulted. There has been a clamour within the party for his replacement from his party colleagues, who allege that Sudhakaran has not been able to run the party efficiently due to his health issues.

Who will replace Sudhakaran?
Since the speculations started in December, at least six names have been floated as possible replacements for Sudhakaran. It seems the party leadership has shortlisted two for the key post. Chalakudy MP Benny Behanan and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash are the frontrunners for the post now, according to highly placed sources in the post.

“An Ezhava or a Christian (leader) will be selected,” a Congress leader said, on condition of anonymity. Former state minister and two-time MP Adoor Prakash is the only member from the Ezhava community in the list of probables while the remaining are Christians – MP Anto Antony, and MLAs Roji M John, Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Sunny Joseph. Benny emerged the top contender with his organisational experience compared to the other Christians in the list. Benny was the right-hand man of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy when he led the party. Prakash is known for his election management skills.

“Both have started from grassroots level in the party and worked their way up in the organisation. The party will be looking to capitalise their experience and connections,” the source said. A key discussion at the February 28 meeting will be on who should be appointed the next state chief of the party.

Sudhakaran, Leader of the Opposition in state assembly VD Satheesan, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, former KPCC presidents VM Sudheeran, Mullappally Ramachandran and MM Hassan as well as the Congress MPs from the state have been invited to the meeting.