Chennithala likely to get key post in Chandy Cabinet

Decks are being cleared for the entry of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President Ramesh Chennithala into the Oommen Chandy Cabinet in the State.

The party high command held discussions with senior Congress functionaries on the political crisis in the State on Thursday. In an effort to find a temporary end to it, the leadership favour the entry of Chennithala into the Cabinet either as Deputy Chief Minister or as Home Minister.

The position taken by Chandy and his group earlier against Chennithala’s entry to the cabinet got weakened after the controversy over the solar scam. The role of three of the Chief Minister’s staff members is being probed in the multi-crore scam, where consumers were duped after they were promised that solar panels would be set up for energy generation.

Chennithala told

Business Line that he would abide by the decision of the high command. “I have been loyal to the first family of the party. I personally have not tried to worsen the situation. We have not asked for a change of leadership. We are sure that the high command will come up with a suggestion to improve the situation in the State,” Chennithala said.

There are indications that Chandy has also given up resistance against giving a ‘key post’ to Chennithala. The Government, which survives in a fragile majority, is dependant on the Kerala Congress (Mani) and the Indian Union Muslim League. “There is a perception that the UDF Government is controlled by minorities. The high command is convinced by the argument that some one like Chennithala must be given a key post for balancing the equation,” another leader said.

Chennithala held discussions with senior leaders Ahmed Patel and A.K. Antony on Wednesday. He met Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. Chandy is expected to meet the Congress President on Friday. A formal announcement is also likely to be made on Friday. Chandy had met the United Democratic Front leaders on inducting Chennithala to his Cabinet.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M)-led Opposition has hit the streets demanding the Chandy’s resignation. The Chennithala-led group in the Congress does not want to be seen as justifying the CPI(M)-led agitation. “That is why we have not demanded a leadership change,” a Congress leader from Kerala said. He added that Chandy was in the forefront of agitations within the party for unceremoniously removing K Karunakaran as Chief Minister in 1995 over the ISRO spy case.

> jigeesh.am@thehindu.co.in