Triumvirate from Kerala to meet Congress high command

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC President V. M. Sudheeran will be holding discussions with Congress high command on Monday. They had been summoned to Delhi for the discussions.

Indications are that the discussions will be centred on strategies for winning the forthcoming Assembly elections. AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi and Working Committee member Gulam Nabi Azad had visited the State recently to assess the situation in the State. The talks will be based on their assessment, supplemented by that of A. K. Antony.

A. K. Antony has already suggested the three leaders from Kerala should stay together to fight the elections. This will mean that the Congress will be presenting a collective leadership without clear indication of who would be the Chief Minister candidate. However, the chances of Mr. Chandy leading another government are quite dim considering the allegations against him.

Congress is likely to contest for more than 80 seats leaving the rest to allies. Most of the sitting Congress members of the Assembly, numbering 39, will be seeking seats again. So, more than half of the seats are available to others including youth. The party is sure to induct some new faces.