Guruvayur, 15 May (H.S.): Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Friday accepted the Congress High Command’s decision to appoint V.D. Satheesan as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, putting an end to days of intense political speculation and internal power struggles within the party.
Breaking his silence after initially expressing disappointment over being overlooked for the top post, Chennithala said he fully respected the decision taken by the party leadership and extended his best wishes to Satheesan. “I accept the High Command’s decision and welcome it. I convey all my good wishes to V.D. Satheesan,” Chennithala told reporters.
He said the responsibility before the new UDF government was enormous after a decade of Left Democratic Front rule in the state. “The government led by Satheesan has the responsibility of freeing Kerala from ten years of LDF rule. I believe the Chief Minister will have the complete support of Congress workers and UDF supporters across the state,” he said.
Chennithala also appealed to the people of Kerala to extend full support to the incoming UDF government so that it could effectively implement its promises and governance agenda.
Responding to questions regarding whether he would join the new cabinet, Chennithala avoided giving a direct answer and said the decision on ministerial appointments rested entirely with the Chief Minister. “It is for the Chief Minister to decide who should be included in the Cabinet,” he said.
Soon after the Congress High Command announced Satheesan as the Chief Minister, Chennithala quietly left Thiruvananthapuram and travelled to Guruvayur without issuing any immediate public reaction. Notably, he also skipped the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting held after the announcement.
The Congress leadership had taken several days to finalise the Chief Ministerial candidate following the UDF’s emphatic victory in the Kerala Assembly elections. The contest had effectively narrowed down to three powerful factions led by K.C. Venugopal, V.D. Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala.
While the K.C. Venugopal camp reportedly worked aggressively to secure the backing of MLAs, Satheesan’s camp drew strength from strong public sentiment and widespread support among Congress workers and grassroots UDF cadres, ultimately helping him secure the leadership position.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
