The jury is still out on new KPCC president

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A bid to give an "Aam Aadmi" image to the Congress in the state is learnt to be delaying the announcement of the new KPCC president.
Sources said that AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi's intervention is delaying the announcement of the name as he is favouring V M Sudheeran for the post to give a clean image to the party. A last-minute campaign against G Karthikeyan is learnt to have toppled his chances as the controversies regarding the civil supplies scam when he was the civil supplies minister and the reports of his links to the SNC Lavalin case were brought before the notice of the high command by a section of leaders from the state.
However, both chief minister Oommen Chandy and home minister Ramesh Chennithala are learnt to have pledged their support to G Karthikeyan. The 'I' group has put forward the name of K Sudhakaran before the high command. It is learnt that a final decision will be taken after Rahul's consultation with defence minister A K Antony.
"If Sonia Gandhi is deciding the name then it would be G Karthikeyan as she won't go against the interests of Ramesh and Chandy. But if it is Rahul and Antony then the outcome cannot be predicted,'' said a senior Congress leader from New Delhi.
Earlier in the day Ramesh and Chandy had discussions with AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi separately. They have given their version on the choice of the new party president in the state. "There is no need for more consultations as the high command is well aware of the situation in the state and hence it can take a decision,'' said Ramesh.
Thiruvananthapuram: A bid to give an Aam Aadmi'' image to the Congress in the state is learnt to be delaying the announcement of the new KPCC president. Sources said that AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi's intervention is delaying the announcement of the name as he is favouring V M Sudheeran for the post to give a clean image for the party.
A last minute campaign against G Karthikeyan is learnt to have toppled his chances as the controversies regarding the civil supplies scam when he was the civil supplies minister and the reports of his linkage with the SNC Lavalin case were brought before the notice of the high command by a section of leaders from the state.
However, both Chandy and Ramesh have learnt to have pledged their support to G Karthikeyan to V M Sudheeran if only these two names are being considered. The I'' group has put forward the name of K Sudhakaran before the high command. It is learnt that a final decision will be taken after Rahul's consultation with union defence minister A K Antony.
If Sonia Gandhi is deciding the name then it would be G Karthikeyan since she will not be willing to go against the interests of Ramesh and Chandy. But if it is before Rahul Gandhi and Antony then the outcome cannot be predicted,'' said a senior Congress leader from New Delhi.
Earlier in the day Ramesh and Chandy had discussions with the AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi separately. They have made their version on the choice of the new party president in the state. There was no need for more consultations since the high command is well aware of the situation in the state and hence they can take a decision,'' said KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala.