Thiruvananthapuram: Putting behind the uncertainty and suspense that preceded his emergence as Chief Minister, V.D. Satheesan has firmly secured his authority as head of the government, besides consolidating his position in the Congress party and as the pivot of the United Democratic Front (UDF).
In less than two months of assuming office, Satheesan has been able to put across the message that he is firmly in control of the show.
Significantly, this is his first stint in government, though he has been a long-time legislator and served as the Leader of the Opposition before the UDF scored a resounding victory in the Assembly elections held in April.
Politically, the assertion of authority assumes significance since he came to occupy the top post despite a much senior claimant, Ramesh Chennithala, throwing his hat into the ring. Though with much heartburn, Chennithala had to settle for the Home portfolio in the ministry.
Another contender was K.C. Venugopal, who wields considerable clout in the Congress high command as the AICC General Secretary (Organisation).
Satheesan had little choice in the selection of members of his Cabinet, either from the Congress or among the coalition partners. However, that did not affect his confidence as the leader of Team UDF from day one.
He started by steering the government smoothly through the opening session of the Assembly. As Finance Minister, he presented the government’s first Budget, preceded by the tabling of a White Paper that sharply criticised the fiscal management of the previous LDF regime.
Satheesan’s interventions on political and governance issues have helped enhance his stature, especially through the transparent and democratic tenor he has brought to his engagement with the public and the media. This marks a departure from the rigid and reticent approach of his predecessor, Pinarayi Vijayan.
So far, so good. In politics and governance, however, it is imprudent to assume that the ride ahead will be smooth, as challenges can emerge at any stage of the journey.
Managing internal dynamics of Congress
The history of the Congress in Kerala has largely been a saga of internal feuds, which at times flared up to engulf both the party and the coalition it led.
The UDF emerged as an alternative coalition to the CPI(M)-led front in the 1970s. Led at different points by Congress stalwarts K. Karunakaran, A.K. Antony and Oommen Chandy, the coalition alternated in power with the Left for nearly four decades. That pattern was disrupted only in 2021, when the LDF under Pinarayi Vijayan secured a second consecutive term.
Successive UDF governments had often been riddled with intense factionalism within the Congress. For years, the party remained deeply divided between camps owing allegiance to Karunakaran and Antony.
At present, however, the Congress in Kerala is not confronted with a similar factional divide centred around any one leader. This works to Satheesan’s advantage, as he faces no immediate internal challenge to his leadership.
Even so, the possibility of those left out of the power-sharing arrangement attempting to trigger skirmishes within the party cannot be ruled out.
The state unit of the Congress also remains organisationally rudderless, with the post of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president still lying vacant. Many senior leaders have joined the ministry, while the party high command is yet to identify a suitable leader capable of balancing organisational responsibilities with the interests of the government.
Opposition down, not out
As the principal constituent of the Opposition LDF, the CPI(M) is yet to recover from the devastating electoral defeat it suffered in the Assembly elections. The scale of the setback has considerably dented the party’s credibility.
Though Pinarayi Vijayan was unanimously elected Leader of the Opposition soon after the elections, the party is yet to fully reconfigure itself to its new role.
More importantly, it needs to recalibrate its street-level mobilisation by preparing its cadre to confront the government.
Historically, the CPI(M), while in Opposition, adopted an aggressive approach, taking on the government at every available opportunity.
The morale of the party ranks, however, is currently at its lowest ebb, as the leadership has yet to provide convincing explanations for the defeat or spell out the corrective measures it intends to take.
Even so, as a party that has bounced back from electoral reverses in the past, the CPI(M) leadership remains confident that it will overcome the present crisis as well.
