Thiruvananthapuram, May 8 Ahead of next year's Assembly elections, the Congress on Thursday named three-time MLA Sunny Joseph as the party's new Kerala chief.
IANS had earlier reported that Joseph stands a good chance of replacing K. Sudhakaran, ever since the talk of a new state President began doing the rounds.
Sudhakaran, who is also the Kannur MP, has been named as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making authority.
Joseph, 72, is known for his soft-spoken nature besides his mature behavior which has won him numerous accolades even from those opposed to him politically.
He has been a close aide of Sudhakaran.
Beginning his political career in the student wing of the Congress, he went on to hold key party posts in the Kannur district. In 2011, Joseph won his debut election when he beat hugely popular CPI-M leader K.K. Shailaja from Peravoor assembly constituency in Kannur and since then, completed a hat-trick of wins from the seat.
Joseph is a lawyer by profession, and his mature performance inside the Assembly has been his strength.
Along with Joseph, the party high command has also made other new appointments, with veteran leader and former state Minister M.M. Hassan being replaced as the convenor of the party-led United Democratic Front by sitting Lok Sabha member and former minister Adoor Prakash.
The party has also named three Working Presidents - two-time legislator P.C. Vishnunath, Badagara Lok Sabha member Shafi Parambil, and senior legislator A.P. Anilkumar.
Congress veteran and former Defence Minister A.K.Antony said he welcomes the new decisions and this will bring a new impetus to the party in the state.
"The outgoing President Sudhakaran is a seasoned veteran who guided the party in Kerala through difficult times, and his elevation to the CWC is a befitting tribute to his efforts," he said.
Reacting to the fresh appointments, the young Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil said the new appointments are a perfect blend of experience and youthfulness and "this is what we have always been confident that the high command will do the right job".
Interestingly, the appointments give due representation to all three religions and the communities in Kerala, too.
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