After a decade in doldrums, Congress bets big on Sunny Joseph to stage a comeback in central Travancore

Peravoor MLA Sunny Joseph seeks blessings at Oommen Chandy's tomb, aims to boost Congress' performance in central Travancore.

On Sunday (May 11, 2025) morning, Peravoor MLA Sunny Joseph visited the St. George Orthodox Church in Puthuppally, where he offered prayers at the tomb of the late Oommen Chandy – the former Chief Minister widely revered as the Congress party’s most prominent leader from central Travancore.

“I have come here to seek his blessings as I step into this new role,” said Mr. Joseph, who is set to take charge as the new president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Monday. His visit, accompanied by his new deputies —Shafi Parambil, P.C. Vishnunath, and A.P. Anil Kumar – was a familiar gesture of political symbolism. Yet, it also underscored a hard reality: the Congress party is struggling to regain its footing in central Travancore.

With local body elections just months away, the elevation of Mr. Joseph – a Catholic leader with deep roots in the region – is expected to help the party break its long-standing cycle of underwhelming performance in the region. The party counts on leveraging Mr. Joseph’s strong rapport with Catholic leadership across the dioceses of Pala, Kanjirappally, Changanassery, Idukki and Kothamangalam. His appointment also marks the return of a Catholic leader at the helm of the Congress in Kerala after decades – the last being A.K. Antony.

According to Ibrahimkutty Kallar, senior Congress leader and former Idukki District Congress Committee president Mr. Joseph is likely to garner broad acceptance across the high ranges of central Travancore. “He has long been a voice for the region’s high-range farmers and has an in-depth understanding of complex land issues in Idukki. This could help win back our traditional voters,” he said.

“Since the era of Antony and Oommen Chandy, there hasn’t been a Congress leader who the Christian clergy felt they could approach directly with their concerns. Sunny Joseph fills that gap, which will significantly benefit the party in this region,” added Mr. Kallar.

Still, the party recognises the challenges ahead. The SNDP Yogam’s displeasure over the removal of K. Sudhakaran from the KPCC presidency remains a concern. However, the Congress is counting on the presence of Adoor Prakash, who leads the United Democratic Front, to maintain a working relationship with the Ezhava community.

“While the immediate focus is on the local body elections, Mr. Joseph’s leadership also raises hopes that the party could boost its prospects in the Assemby elections next year too. Besides securing a few additional seats with ample support of the Christian community, the party is also keen to take over one of the Ettumanoor or Changanassery seats from Kerala Congress,” noted a senior party leader.