KOTTAYAM/ KANNUR : Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday sought to downplay the growing friction between the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Chief Minister V D Satheesan over the appointment of government pleaders, urging that the issue be resolved within the party.
AICC general secretary Venugopal said party workers should raise grievances through the Congress’ internal forums instead of airing them publicly.
Speaking to reporters after attending a meeting at Puthuppally marking the third death anniversary of former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Venugopal acknowledged that KSU workers might have genuine concerns but stressed that they should be addressed within the organisation.
Describing the Congress-led government as one in which people had reposed great hope, Venugopal said there should be no actions from within the party that create unnecessary disturbances. “The party will make every effort to resolve the issues, and the government will also do its part. No one should act in a manner that causes distress to party workers,” he said.
Echoing the call for reconciliation, Chennithala said Chief Minister Satheesan himself would take the initiative to resolve the differences with the student wing. He also dismissed suggestions of a serious crisis within the Congress, claiming the ruling LDF was facing deeper internal conflicts. “The real conflict is in the LDF.
Compared to the issues between the CPM and the CPI, what conflict exists in the Congress?” he asked. The controversy erupted after the KSU strongly objected to the appointment of a government pleader who had earlier been associated with SFI, the CPM’s student wing. The student organisation questioned the decision, arguing the appointment sent a wrong political message.
The dispute escalated after the chief minister defended the appointment, saying government pleaders were selected on merit through the Indian Lawyers’ Congress and the High Court rather than on the recommendations of student organisations.
Tensions worsened when KSU state president Aloshious Xavier was reportedly denied an appointment with the chief minister and was allegedly ignored by Satheesan at a public function in Kochi, bringing the differences into the open.