Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 9 (IANS): At least half a dozen children of top Congress leaders in Kerala have pitched their intent, that if given an opportunity, they will definitely toe the line of their father, many of whom have been in politics for around five decades.

Among them include the children of A.K. Antony, Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, all of whom are very much active in politics and in the party.

Among these top brass, Chandy is in trouble, as three of his children are there, of which his son has already tested the 'political' waters and is seen often with his father, while his two daughters are waiting for the opportune moment to take a plunge.

Antony who turns 81 in December, and whose long parliamentary career is coming to a close early next year when his present Rajya Sabha term ends, has dropped enough hints that he intends to return to the state capital from the national capital.

His elder son Anil Antony, since last year is the convener of Congress party's digital media cell here, was one of the live wires in the backroom office at the state party headquarters during the April 6 assembly polls and hence none would be surprised, if Anil steps into Antony's shoes, when he bows out of active politics.

Two time former State Minister and present legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan's son Arjun Radhakrishnan was in the news last week when he was named as the national spokesperson of the Youth Congress and hours after he was named, the news came that the appointment has been put on hold.

The next one in line is Rohit, elder son of former Leader of Opposition and present legislator Ramesh Chennithala. Though a practicing physician, in the recent past his name has been going around that he is getting ready to make his political debut and had it not been the rout that Congress led UDF suffered in the April 6 assembly polls, he would have by now entered the arena where his father has been reigning supreme.

A media critic on condition of anonymity revealed it's the least surprising if the kith and kin of top present day Congress leaders enter the political field.

"All these leaders have been in the limelight for well over four decades and that too at the highest level. Their kids, who are in the mid or late thirties have seen and enjoyed, what it's to be the children of top flight political leaders, so it's the least surprising, as compared to others in their age group, this group of children get a huge head start and do not have to necessarily slog like the others, to get a ticket or a party post. But, this advantage could well turn out to be their nemesis, as gone are the days when the family tag used to help and only time will tell, how many of these big names will actually make it big, if they get a chance," said the critic.

The children of legendary Congress leader K. Karunakaran - K. Muraleedharan and Padmaja Venugopal are presently in full fledged politics, but Padmaja, despite given three opportunities to fight one Lok Sabha and two assembly elections, failed to make the cut, while Muraleedharan after a bumpy ride by now has established himself as a mature leader.

Incidentally, in the April 6 assembly elections, sons of two Congress veterans contested but failed to win and it included two time legislator K.S. Sabarinath, son of former Speaker and Minister G. Karthikeyan, who won in 2015, soon after his father expired as a sitting legislator and he repeated his success in 2016, but in 2021 he had to bite the dust.

Likewise Sumesh Achuthan, son of four time legislator K. Achuthan, lost the April 6 polls, after he contested from Chittur in Palakkad district, which was his father's home turf, from where he won four times.

So with the die cast and the children of the top brass all willing to enter the political space, only time will tell, if they will make it easily or will it be otherwise, as in Kerala, at the moment due to various factors the stock of the Congress party is at its lowest.

The best example why it could be difficult is from what is seen at Malappuram, where Aryadan Shoukath, the son of Congress veteran and former Minister Aryadan Mohammed, known for his political brain which helped the likes of Antony and Chandy, when they took on Karunakaran, is yet to get a suitable accommodation, even with Mohammed trying to do his best.