Giving another twist to the schism in the Congress state unit, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the UDF constituents on Thursday that talks on the ‘Deputy Chief Minister’ are nothing but a creation of the media and assured them that the issue will not be finalised without discussions with all concerned in the ruling front.
Chandy’s clarification was made in the presence of none other than KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala at a UDF meet held at his official residence,giving rise to suspicions that the ‘deputy CM’ hopes of the latter and ‘I’ faction are going to face many hurdles.
The IUML, which had raised the banner of revolt against the move, retracted from its stand on the basis of Chandy’s assurance. An emergency meeting of the IUML state secretariat, attended by Union Minister E Ahmed,felt that the issue was ‘imaginary’.
Meanwhile, the UDF meet entrusted the Chief Minister to hold talks with the Kerala Congress(B) on reinduction of K B Ganesh Kumar into the Cabinet after eliciting the opinion of all the constituent parties.
The UDF meet did not discuss the move to induct Ramesh into the Cabinet.
“Talks in this regard have not taken place even in the Congress. The CM and Ramesh had talks on various issues, but no decision has been taken on the Deputy CM,” said UDF convener P P Thankachan.
“The details of the talks cannot be divulged. Even I don’t know the finer details. It will be discussed in the UDF and the concurrence of the Congress high command will also have to be taken,” Thankachan told mediapersons.
In the present scenario, either Ramesh or Ganesh Kumar can become a minister but not both as the Cabinet strength has to be limited to 21. Hence the need for detailed discussions in the UDF and a consensus,” maintained the UDF convener.
Chandy urged those present at the meet not to jump into conclusions on the basis of media reports. He intervened when Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty felt that the entire media reports could not be dismissed. He said the IUML reaction could have been avoided had there been a query to him on the issue.
Calling for a serious approach towards issues confronting the UDF, SJD leader M P Veerendra Kumar said the media will not carry reports without any basis.
Maintaining that the opposition raised by the NSS and SNDP against the government and Congress was not serious, Thankachan said the UDF meet recommended sanctioning new Plus-Two schools/batches on a location-specific criteria.
“The grouse of community and social organisations will be addressed,” the UDF convener said.