Thiruvananthapuram, May 9 (IANS) A stern intervention by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi — also the former party chief — has temporarily pulled the party back from the brink after the battle over the Chief Minister’s post in Kerala spilled into open factionalism, embarrassing the leadership at a politically sensitive moment.

With supporters of the three principal contenders — V.D. Satheesan, K.C. Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala — staging rival demonstrations and putting up flex boards across Kerala, the Congress high command was forced into damage-control mode in New Delhi on Saturday.

At a crucial meeting convened by Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge at his residence, Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have sharply reprimanded the three leaders over the manner in which the succession battle had spilled into the public domain.

Sources said Rahul Gandhi made it clear that the party could not move ahead with announcing a Chief Minister while scenes of factional posturing continued to dominate headlines in Kerala.

After hearing each leader, Rahul Gandhi reportedly asked them bluntly whether they were capable of bringing their supporters under control and ending the public displays of strength that had unsettled the Congress rank and file.

Kharge also adopted a firm stand, conveying that the party high command would closely monitor the situation and that no announcement would be made until discipline and normalcy were restored within the organisation.

The warning from Delhi appeared to have an immediate impact.

Emerging together after the meeting, Satheesan, Venugopal and Chennithala put up a rare public show of unity and jointly appealed to party workers to stop protests and factional activities.

The leaders urged supporters not to take to the streets in favour of any individual and directed that all flex boards erected across the state in their support be removed immediately.

By Saturday night, the impact of the high command’s intervention was visible in several districts, with supporters of all three leaders themselves removing banners and flex boards that had appeared over the past few days as part of the aggressive political mobilisation.

However, despite the public show of unity, uncertainty continues to loom large within Congress circles.

The high command’s decision to delay the announcement has prolonged the suspense, with intense lobbying continuing quietly behind the scenes even as leaders publicly call for restraint.

For now, the race remains wide open.

With the Congress leadership unwilling to rush a decision and the party keen to avoid further embarrassment after its massive electoral victory, uncertainty continues to prevail over who will eventually emerge as Kerala’s next Chief Minister.

–IANS

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