THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Congress camp is elated over rumours of Left fellow traveller Cherian Philip returning to the party, which they consider a win-win situation. On Monday, Cherian Philip will be receiving an award instituted by the Kerala Sahrudaya Vedi in memory of former deputy chief minister K Avukader Kutty Naha from senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy.
All eyes are now on Cherian Philip’s reaction as he is also slated to share the stage with IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty. Ever since Cherian Philip rejected the LDF government’s offer to appoint him as the vice-chairman of the Kerala Khadi Board, the Congress camp has been watching the scenario keenly. Cherian Philip is currently working on a book on modern political history titled ‘Adiyozhukkukal’ (Undercurrents).
‘Cong leadership will hold talks with Cherian Philip’
‘Adiyozhukkukal’ is a sequel to ‘Kaal Noottandu’ (Quarter Century) written 40 years ago. Cherian Philip has been upset with the Left leadership for having denied him a Rajya Sabha seat. The previous Congress state leadership had extended him an invitation if he was ready to apologise for his mistakes.
Though the current leadership is yet to hold talks with him, it is learnt that Congress Working Committee member A K Antony, Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala have extended an olive leaf to him. When he left the Congress in protest after the party denied him the then Thiruvananthapuram North assembly seat in the 2001 elections, he had verbally abused the then chief minister Antony the most, besides Chandy and the late K Karunakaran.
“The leadership will hold talks with Cherian Philip after the announcement of the state committee. In 2001, the CPM wanted a Christian face. Once their mission was accomplished, they discarded him. Now it is the turn of the Congress to welcome him back to the party after two decades, after the LDF had poached two Congress leaders to their fold,” a senior Congress MP told TNIE.
Meanwhile, Antony is tightlipped on his former close confidant’s return to the party. On Thursday, Cherian Philip posted on Facebook he will be launching his YouTube channel, ‘Cherian Philip Reacting’ on New Year. “My political stand will be issue-based. I will never remain a one-eyed man. Both eyes will remain open. I will keep reacting until my eyes close. Social commitment and civic sense will be the hallmarks,” he said.