Sandeep Varier | Photo credit: KK Mustafah
Congress candidate MLA Sandeep Varier, who won from Thrikkarippur, on Friday (May 8, 2026) praised the party’s “democratic process” in selecting the chief minister and said no such system exists in the BJP and CPI(M).
Mr. Varier, who was a BJP leader before joining the Congress in 2024, contested on a Congress ticket in the recently concluded Kerala assembly elections.
He met Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal in Malappuram.
After the meeting, reporters asked Mr. Varier about a photograph aired by a TV channel showing a list allegedly held by AICC observer Mukul Wasnik as he walked out after the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.
The list reportedly contained names of Congress MLAs and a column stating their preferences for the post of chief minister. Several leaders, including Mr. Varier, were shown as ‘KC’, which was interpreted as supporting KC Venugopal for the post of Chief Minister.
“KC” was allegedly written before the names of MLAs Sajeev Joseph, TO Mohanan, Sunny Joseph, Usha Vijayan and T Siddique, while “KC+RC” was written against the name of IC Balakrishnan.
“RC” has been interpreted as a reference to senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithal, who is also a chief ministerial contender.
“There should be internal democracy in every democratic party. Unfortunately, the two parties that do not have such a system are CPI(M) and BJP. Their decisions are taken from one centre. CPI(M) has one center of power, while in BJP the decision comes from Nagpur,” he said.
He said that, in contrast, the Congress was a “democratic party”.
“When our views are sought, it shows the democratic beauty of the Congress party. It hears the opinion of all members of the public. That’s how it should happen,” he said.
When specifically asked whether he was supporting KC Venugopal for the post of Chief Minister, Mr. Varier said it was an internal matter of the party.
“It’s an internal exercise. What was said there has to be evaluated by the party. I haven’t seen the picture, so I can’t comment,” he said.
He said people should appreciate that such an exercise is happening in the Congress party.
Mr Varier said the recent prime ministerial debates were “natural”.
“If a leader is selected as chief minister without consulting MLAs, wouldn’t that be wrong? It is a democratic process. Congress has given freedom to express views and raise slogans,” he said.
Mr. Varier said he did not know whether the IUML had taken a stand supporting VD Satheesan for the post of Chief Minister.
He said that each UDF and Congress leader would express their opinion.
“The party will take the final decision, which we will all take,” he said.
Published – 08 May 2026 11:33 IST
