Antony warns Satheesan of tough times ahead
EVEN before Chief Minister-designate V. D. Satheesan formally settles into office, one unmistakable reality has emerged inside the Congress -- the influence of veteran leader A. K. Antony still looms large over every major political decision in Kerala.
Hours after receiving a tumultuous welcome at the state Congress headquarters on Thursday afternoon, Satheesan drove straight to Antony’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram, underlining the continuing importance of the Congress patriarch who, despite retiring from active politics, remains the party high command’s most trusted troubleshooter during moments of crisis.
Party insiders say Antony’s influence was critical in defusing several tense situations during the election season and the subsequent leadership tussle.
It was Antony’s intervention, sources recalled, that persuaded senior Congress leader and Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran to back away from his defiant stand to contest the Assembly elections, thereby preventing a potentially embarrassing internal showdown.
For the last two days, as the Congress high command struggled to finalise Kerala’s next chief minister, a near-constant hotline reportedly remained active between Delhi and Antony’s residence.
According to senior party sources, Antony’s argument that appointing party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal as Chief Minister would trigger avoidable by-elections eventually became a decisive factor favouring Satheesan.
Antony is also understood to have told the leadership that the public mood overwhelmingly favoured Satheesan and that the perception was genuine rather than “stage-managed.”
Standing beside Satheesan at his residence, Antony warmly endorsed the decision of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and party President Mallikarjuna Kharge.
"The most gracious decision has been taken and I wholeheartedly welcome it. Satheesan will have all my support," Antony said, expressing hope that the next five years would become a ‘golden era’ for Kerala.
But the veteran leader also issued a note of caution drawn from his own political experience.
Recalling his 2001 tenure as chief minister, Antony said governments are often forced to take unpopular economic decisions during financial crises.
"People should not expect easy populist announcements. Kerala today is financially in a far worse position than what I inherited," he warned.
In a striking personal observation, Antony added that Satheesan enjoyed "far greater acceptance among ordinary people" than he himself once did, perhaps the strongest public endorsement yet for Kerala’s incoming Chief Minister.
