The Congress district leadership in Wayanad has found itself embroiled in a fresh controversy after party representatives in the Pulpally grama panchayat were accused of reaching an understanding with the BJP to secure standing committee chairperson posts.

In the elections held on Tuesday, Congress members Selin Manuel and Geetha Kunjikrishnan were elected as standing committee chairpersons with BJP backing. In a reciprocal move, Congress members supported the BJP’s Suchithra Rajesh for the chairperson post. The development drew attention as it came just a day after Lakshya 2026, a two-day Congress camp in Sulthan Bathery aimed at reviewing the party’s performance in the recent local body elections and finalising its strategy for the 2026 Assembly polls.

The alleged arrangement triggered strong criticism from party workers and the media, prompting swift intervention by the District Congress Committee (DCC). Selin Manuel and Geetha Kunjikrishnan resigned from their posts following the backlash, though both maintained they had acted on party directions—a claim that deepened the controversy.

The issue assumed wider political significance as it unfolded within the Lok Sabha constituency represented by All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi. Senior leaders cautioned that such covert understandings could cause national embarrassment and weaken the party’s prospects ahead of the Assembly elections.

DCC president T J Isaac told Onmanorama that the actions of the local leadership were “unexpected and highly unethical.” He said the party acted immediately after learning of the alleged understanding and directed the chairpersons to step down. “They complied, and the issue has been resolved. The Congress will not tolerate any secret arrangement with the BJP or any other opposition party,” he said.

The DCC also suspended Congress ward member M T Karunakaran for telling the media that the pact had been executed with the knowledge of the party leadership.

The CPM launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of colluding with the BJP. CPM district secretary K. Rafeeq described the episode as a “trial run” ahead of the Assembly elections, alleging that the Congress was willing to align with any political force, including the BJP, to retain power.

CPM district committee member M S Suresh Babu from Pulpally alleged that the Congress had even given up its chance to secure another standing committee chairperson post, which was allegedly ceded to the BJP as part of the understanding.

In the recent local body elections, the CPM-led LDF secured control of the 21-member Pulpally panchayat by a narrow margin, winning nine wards. The UDF won eight seats, while the BJP secured four.

Intra-party rift continues in Poothadi panchayat
Meanwhile, factional tensions persist within the CPM in the Poothadi panchayat, where the party lost three standing committee chairperson posts despite retaining the panchayat presidency with the support of dissident members.

CPM leaders A V Jayan and P Prasad, who contested the elections under a party-brokered understanding to contain rebellion, later broke ranks after being denied standing committee positions.

There had been widespread expectation that Jayan, a senior leader who had earlier warned against “dictatorial tendencies” within the party, would be elevated as panchayat president if the CPM emerged victorious. In Poothadi, both the CPM and the Congress have 10 ward members each, while the BJP holds three seats.

Although Poothadi was viewed as a prestige contest where the BJP had high expectations, the CPM secured a narrow win under Jayan’s leadership. However, Jayan and Prasad supported the party during the election of the president and vice-president but abstained from voting in the standing committee elections, leading to the LDF’s setback in those polls.