Thiruvananthapuram, May 12 (IANS) In a first, the Kerala unit of the Congress party has made the son of a farmer its new president as 72-year-old three-time legislator Sunny Joseph assumed office at a glittering ceremony on Monday.
Incidentally, it was veteran CWC member A.K. Antony who pointed this out when Joseph and his new team came to seek blessings from the veteran.
“I have a special liking for two sections of the Kerala society, and they include the fisher folks and the other is the farmers. The elevation of a farmer’s son, Sunny Joseph, is a first of its kind in the history of the Congress party in Kerala, and I am confident that the soft-spoken and mature personality that he is, will bring a Congress-led UDF government in Kerala next year,” said Antony.
At around 9.45 a.m., the Congress party headquarters here was crowded, and when the vehicle bringing in both — the outgoing president and Kannur Lok Sabha member K. Sudhakaran and Joseph — it was with great difficulty that the two managed to reach the auditorium.
Present on the occasion included AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, party in charge of Kerala, Deepadas Munshi, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly V.D. Satheesan and a string of former party state presidents, all the legislators and all those who matter in the party.
In his outgoing speech, Sudhakaran said Sunny Joseph has been known to him for the past several decades, as they hail from the same place.
“I have full confidence in Sunny, and he will be doing a job that each and every congressman will be proud of. We should all give him complete support, as there are elections around the corner. We all should ensure that the Congress-led UDF should be brought back to power,” said Sudhakaran, and it was amidst a huge applause that he handed over the baton to the new president.
Venugopal, while congratulating Joseph on his new post, showered accolades on Sudhakaran for doing a great job since 2021.
“Sunny Joseph is personally known to me for decades, and his characteristic is his soft-spoken nature and matured response, which is his strength. Congress has always worked as a team, and I am sure Sunny will be a great team leader, and we will be able to see it when he leads our party to wins in the upcoming local body and Assembly polls, all of which are fast coming up,” said Venugopal.
Satheesan assured the national party leadership that this new team will be given full support so that a Congress-led UDF government is installed after next year’s Assembly polls.
Munshi asked all the Congress workers to ensure that all leaders and workers work hard to oust the Left government.
Now, all eyes will be on the new team led by Sunny Joseph. His first task is the upcoming Nilambur Assembly by-election, which could be announced any time. Nilambur is the sitting seat of the CPI(M)-led Left independent legislator P.V. Anvar, who, after a difference of opinion with CM Vijayan, quit his seat and is now a fellow traveller of the Congress-led UDF.
–IANS
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