Congress' delicate balancing act in managing Kerala's power equations

Former Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan (pictured) took oath as the chief minister, along with his council of ministers, in Thiruvananthapuram on May 18. The ceremony took place almost a fortnight after the Congress-led United Democratic Front won the Assembly polls with 102 of the 140 seats on May 4. 

The Congress’ central leadership announced Satheesan’s name as Kerala’s 13th CM on May 14. There were two other major contenders in the fray — Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala — leading to protests within the party, with each faction demanding that their leader become the CM. 

 

Since 2014, managing its regional satraps has strained the managerial skills of the Congress ‘high command’

 

Karnataka   

In May 2023, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar emerged as contenders for the CM post after the Congress’ victory. The central leadership picked Siddaramaiah, amid Shivakumar’s supporters claiming that there would be a shift of power post the mid-term mark. The tension continues to fester.

 

Himachal Pradesh 

After the Congress won the Himachal election in December 2022, Pratibha Singh, widow of the late CM Virbhadra Singh, vied for the CM post with the argument that she had led the campaign. The central leadership went ahead with Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

 

Rajasthan 

The Congress won the 2018 Assembly polls with Ashok Gehlot edging out Sachin Pilot to become the CM. Pilot had steered the party during a difficult period between 2013 and 2018. Two rebellions, one by Pilot in 2020, and another by Gehlot loyalists in 2022, took place. The Congress lost the 2023 polls.

 

Madhya Pradesh 

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Congress’ then-MP unit chief, led the party to a wafer-thin majority in the 2018 polls. In the factional fight that ensued, the Congress central leadership picked Kamal Nath as the CM. The government fell in March 2020 when Scindia joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with 22 other MLAs.

 

Chhattisgarh 

In Chhattisgarh, the Congress high command picked Bhupesh Baghel as the CM in 2018 with T S Singh Deo claiming that a formula of rotational chief ministership had been discussed. Singh Deo quit as a minister in 2022. The party’s central leadership asked Baghel to appoint Singh Deo as the deputy CM in 2023. The party lost the next polls in 2023.

 

Punjab 

The Congress won the Punjab Assembly polls in 2017 under Amarinder Singh. He resigned as the CM in September 2021, and Charanjit Singh Channi was picked as his successor; however, the Congress lost the 2022 elections.  

 

Arunachal Pradesh 

In May 2014, the Congress won 42 of Arunachal’s 60 seats with Nabam Tuki as the CM. Tuki dropped Kalikho Pul from his cabinet in December 2014, who led a rebellion and became the CM for a few months before the Supreme Court overturned the Governor’s decision. Tuki resigned before having to prove his majority, and Pema Khandu succeeded him. Khandu and the MLAs supporting him eventually joined the BJP in December 2016.