THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan scripting a new political history in Kerala by becoming the first sitting government to retain power, all eyes are on the badly hit Congress, which leads the United Democratic Front, as never before has such a thing happened in the state.
In the 2016 Assembly polls the UDF had won 47 and the Congress 22 seats, but in the results that came out on Sunday the UDF tally sunk to 41 and the Congress to 21.
State Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran when asked if he would resign after taking the moral responsibility of the defeat, said, "I will definitely come back to you after going through what actually happened."
Today with the scenario looking bleak for the Congress, as already five years have passed without power and now will have to wait another five years on the sidelines, it could well be a period of test for the party right from its top leaders and grassroots workers.
A media critic said that it is doubtful if the fireworks in the Congress will continue this time also, which has always washed its dirty linen in the public. "The party high command saw through that they need not bank on just one leader as the star campaigner and it was their move to draft in Oommen Chandy, the last of the Congress leaders who has a pan Kerala acceptance as the one to oversee the elections to be assisted by Ramachandran and also the Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala. The campaign and the candidate selection was jointly seen by the trio, " said the critic.
With all the three having a collective responsibility, it's unlikely that any one of them will be held responsible and all that remains to be seen is with Chandy holding no post, will Ramachandran and Chennithala go on their own.
If that happens, then one can expect fireworks as it could well be a generation change that will happen in the Congress party, as there are a few contenders from the second line leaders eyeing posts, to take forward the party and it includes former State Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, veteran party legislators V.D. Sateeshan and P.T.Thomas.
Then it remains to be seen if they will go for young turks like P.C. Vishnunath and even Shafi Parambil, who was given a fright till the last moment by Metroman E. Sreedharan.
"If the Congress party needs to get back to its position, the need of the hour is to stop thrusting leaders from the top to all party posts, which has been happening for the past over three decades. The party should immediately go in for electing leaders through the ballot, if not then there is not going to be any hope for the party, " added the critic.
So at the moment, all eyes are on the upcoming meeting of the Congress and also the UDF and it remains to be seen if there will be a demand for a generation change and if it happens then it would be curtains for veterans like Chandy, Ramachandran and Chennithala.
But the silver lining for these veterans are the allies of the Congress, especially the second biggest ally -- the Indian Union Muslim League. The IUML's seasoned veterans like P.K. Kunhalikutty, M.K. Muneer may not be keen to play second fiddle to young turks in the Congress, so Chennithala might get a second life.