Even as Congressmen across the state celebrate the election of VD Satheesan as Kerala’s thirteenth Chief Minister, former minister and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has openly expressed his disappointment at not being given a chance to claim the top post.
Sources close to Chennithala have confirmed that he will not be attending the Congress legislature party meeting to be held at Thiruvananthapuram as a mark of protest. Many see this as a pressure tactic on the part of the senior leader to ensure that he is given a top cabinet berth with Home as the likely choice.
Chennithala who had formerly served as Home Minister in the Oommen Chandy cabinet has often missed the top spot between the cup and the lip. VD Satheesan is the latest one to beat Chennithala in the race. Even when this report was being filed local Congress leaders in the state were desperately attempting to reach out to Chennithala to reach a consensus, so as to avoid further embarrassment, for a party that has been struggling with political upmanship, following the remarkable electoral victory it achieved in the recently concluded elections.
VD Satheesan and his new cabinet is likely to swear-in on Monday.
