The Congress high command in Kerala has taken steps to strengthen its organizational setup for the upcoming Assembly elections by appointing Ramesh Chennithala and Benny Behanan to lead crucial poll committees. Ramesh Chennithala, a veteran legislator and member of the Congress Working Committee, will chair the campaign committee, as approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Meanwhile, senior Lok Sabha member Benny Behanan has been named the chairman of the manifesto committee.
The appointments of Chennithala and Behanan highlight the party’s focus on combining organizational expertise with parliamentary visibility in preparation for a challenging electoral battle against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the BJP. The campaign committee’s composition includes a mix of national and state-level leaders, with Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor appointed as co-chairman to bring national prominence and urban appeal to the campaign strategy.
In addition to Tharoor, other members of the campaign committee include Lok Sabha MPs Shafi Parambil and Hibi Eden, along with MLAs Roji M. John, C.R. Mahesh, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, former Lok Sabha member Remya Haridas, M. Liju, and Deepthi Mary Varghese. On the other hand, the manifesto committee, led by Behanan, will feature senior parliamentarians Kodikunnil Suresh and Dean Kuriakose from the Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha member Jebi Mather.
The party’s emphasis on parliamentary experience and policy articulation is evident in the composition of the manifesto committee, reflecting a concerted effort to present a cohesive alternative vision for the state. With a clearer organizational structure now in place, the Congress is gearing up to enhance its grassroots mobilization and policy engagement in the upcoming weeks. The leadership choices underscore a strategic move to unite factions within the Kerala unit and present a cohesive front for the electoral challenges ahead.
The announcement coincides with Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan’s statewide yatra, which is set to cover all 14 districts of Kerala and culminate in the state capital on March 7.
