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Reacting to the Congress high command’s decision to appoint Satheesan as the Congress Legislature Party leader, Sukumaran Nair alleged that the selection process was “anti-democratic” and accused the Congress of surrendering to the Indian Union Muslim League under political pressure.
Questioning the prolonged internal consultations held by the Congress leadership before announcing the decision, Sukumaran Nair said the party had initially indicated that the Chief Ministerial choice would depend on the support of party legislators. However, he claimed the final decision was ultimately influenced by coalition partners.
“The Muslim League was the main pressure force behind the decision. This shows that the Congress has surrendered to the League,” Sukumaran Nair alleged in a strongly worded statement.
The NSS chief also openly supported senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala and asserted that Chennithala should have been given priority if the leadership selection had been based on political merit and seniority within the party.
In one of his most pointed remarks, Sukumaran Nair mocked Satheesan as a “prince of positions” and described him as “a prince in a time without a king,” signalling the deepening divide between the NSS leadership and the Congress leader.
The latest criticism marks a major shift in the relationship between the NSS and Satheesan. During the 2021-2026 period, when the Congress functioned in opposition in Kerala, the NSS had extended indirect support to Satheesan as he attempted to revive the party’s political standing in the state. However, tensions later escalated after Satheesan repeatedly stated that political parties should not operate under pressure from caste-based or community organisations.
Those remarks had earlier triggered friction with the NSS leadership, which accused Satheesan of disregarding Kerala’s traditional social and political equations. Sukumaran Nair had also publicly objected to Satheesan’s statements that elected governments should not “feed religious leaders” or function under external pressure from community groups.
The controversy intensified further after Sukumaran Nair revived the NSS’s long-standing demand that the education portfolio in the new United Democratic Front government should remain with the Congress instead of being allocated to the Muslim League. He warned that handing over the department to the League once again could “intensify communalism” in the state.
The remarks come at a politically sensitive moment for the newly elected Congress-led UDF government, which returned to power after securing a massive electoral victory. The Congress high command had finalised Satheesan’s appointment only after nearly two weeks of intense internal discussions involving senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and KC Venugopal.
The public criticism from the NSS now indicates that the leadership contest may continue to generate political repercussions beyond the Congress party itself. The controversy has also highlighted the enduring influence of community organisations in Kerala politics, even as leaders such as Satheesan attempt to project a more independent political approach free from external organisational pressure.
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