Thiruvananthapuram, 16 May (H.S.): Days after V D Satheesan was chosen as Kerala’s Chief Minister-designate following a closely watched leadership contest within the Congress, the party leadership on Saturday moved to project unity and put an end to speculation surrounding internal differences. Satheesan and senior Congress leader K C Venugopal held a 20-minute meeting in Thiruvananthapuram and later appeared before the media together, sending a clear signal of cohesion within the party ahead of the formation of the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government.
The meeting gained significance as it was the first public interaction between the two leaders after the Congress high command announced Satheesan as its choice for Chief Minister. The leadership process had generated considerable political discussion, with reports suggesting disappointment among some senior leaders, including Venugopal and Haripad MLA Ramesh Chennithala, after the final decision favoured Satheesan.
However, Venugopal sought to dismiss any notion of internal unrest and stressed that party decisions take precedence over individual aspirations. Addressing reporters, he said the Congress would work collectively to ensure the success of the incoming government.
“For us, the party is everything. Once the party takes a decision, we will stand by it and work wholeheartedly for its success,” Venugopal said. He added that the people of Kerala had placed significant expectations on the UDF government and that addressing public concerns would be the immediate responsibility of the new administration under Satheesan’s leadership.
“As a Congress worker, I will extend my full support to him,” Venugopal said, while also maintaining that any differences among party workers would be resolved collectively through the organisational framework.
Satheesan, in turn, underlined his close working relationship with Venugopal and highlighted the latter’s role in maintaining coordination between the Kerala unit and the Congress leadership in Delhi.
“There is a strong bond between us. Before major decisions regarding party affairs are taken, we discuss them together,” Satheesan said.
He also described the Congress leadership selection process as an example of internal democracy and praised Venugopal for maintaining neutrality while handling leadership decisions in several states despite holding one of the party’s most influential organisational positions.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
