The Congress party is having a tough time over the selection of its nominee for the Rajya Sabha elections on June 21 for the lone seat it can hope to win on the basis of its strength in the Assembly.
The elections are being held to three seats being vacated by P.J. Kurien (Congress), Joy Abraham [KC(M)], and C.P. Narayanan [(CPI(M)]. The Rajya Sabha seat is in focus this time because of the severe drubbing that the Congress, under the United Democratic Front banner, received in the Chengannur byelection earlier this week and the blame game that is doing its rounds. The defeat has put senior party leaders on the back foot, leading to a clamour for the immediate reconstitution of the party machinery.
Mr. Kurien’s Rajya Sabha term has come to an end when the party is on churn. For a person who was member of the Lok Sabha for six terms and Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms, Mr. Kurien, who ended his term as Rajya Sabha vice chairman, has become a natural target under such circumstances.
It is not surprising that the banner of revolt is being raised by the Congress youth brigade.
Leaves it to party
Mr. Kurien, in his reaction to private television channels, said it was for the party to take a decision on his candidature and dropped sufficient hints that he was still in the race.
This is perhaps for the first time that Congress legislators have come out openly against the party leadership’s candidate selection process.
The party high command can hardly ignore the connect since legislators are the electorate for the RS election. The youngsters move appears to be connected to an upcoming revamp in the party and the general expectation that Congress president Rahul Gandhi will give a chance to the youngsters who have been warming the bench for some time now.