Congress names KV Thomas Kerala working president

With Assembly elections in Kerala just two months away, the Congress high command on Thursday appointed KV Thomas the working president of the state unit to prevent his possible exit from the party. Thomas, who was the food and civil supplies minister in the Manmohan Singh government, had been sulking and was at loggerheads with the state unit ever since he was denied a Lok Sabha ticket. He was hoping to contest again from the Ernakulam seat which he had represented five times in the past.

Recently, there was speculation that he could leave the Congress and contest as an Independent from one of the Assembly segments in Ernakulam with the support of the Left. Sensing that his exit could hurt the party’s prospects, the Congress named him working president of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

Sources said Congress president Sonia Gandhi had spoken to Thomas.