KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala on Monday struck a guarded posture on the intra-party issues revolving around his non-induction into the two-year-old Oommen Chandy Government saying that the party high command is now seized of the matter and propriety demands not to air views on this issue.
Speaking at the valedictory session of the seminar on ‘Contemporary Politics and Kerala Development’ organised by the Press Club here, Ramesh said that he had not gone after power during his long political career and will obey the party directives. ‘’I’m ready to even be a Congress ward president if directed to be so,’’ he said, adding that he believes all positions granted by the party were bestowed upon him for his dedication and hard work. ‘’At the age of 27, I was made a minister by K Karunakaran. Later, Indira Gandhi also reposed the same trust upon me,’’ a sentimental Ramesh said. ‘’I’ve a special place in the minds of lakhs of Congress workers and the people in the state. It cannot be destroyed or upstaged by the scheming of anyone,’’ he asserted.
Ramesh admitted that there are certain issues in the party.
‘’We’re trying to tackle these issues. Some issues could not be tackled here and hence the role of the high command,’’ he said. ‘’It is not that I have no opinion. It is there and it will be aired before those concerned at the appropriate time. Propriety demands restraint in the backdrop of the high command’s diktat,’’ he said.
He suggested that ministership is not a big thing for him. ‘’The position which I am holding in the party now is above than all the ministers. The KPCC president is the last word of the Congress in the state,’’ he said.
Ramesh said that his name had cropped up many times for ministership in the Chandy Government for various reasons. However, he was not ready to go beyond that and took particular care not to mention the name of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in this regard.
‘’I’m pained that such problems had arisen in the party. If my actions had hurt partymen and public who love me, I apologise to all of them,’’ he said.
To a query, the KPCC president said that the party will not suffer in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, as is being predicted by some quarters.
He said that issues connected with the minor partners in the UDF will be sorted out soon through discussions.