THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala is likely to be appointed the All India Congress Committee general secretary (AICC) in charge of Punjab, although the proposal has not gone down well with the ‘I’ group leaders in the state unit. Chennithala on Friday met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. At the meeting, Rahul reportedly conveyed the party’s decision to Chennithala as Punjab is going to the polls next year. In addition, there have been some organisational issues in the Punjab Congress.
Chennithala has conveyed his wish to work for the people in Haripad assembly constituency from where he was elected to the assembly. “I have told Rahul Gandhi that I am ready to take up any role the party suggests. But a situation of completely staying away from the state cannot be accepted,” he told mediapersons after the meeting.
The ‘I’ group leaders close to Chennithala are not happy with the proposal of appointing him as a general secretary in charge of a state especially under K C. Venugopal, who is the AICC general secretary (organisation). During the meeting, Chennithala also conveyed his displeasure at the way in which he was stripped of his position after the drubbing the party suffered in the assembly elections.
He also said he would have resigned from the position had the central leaders hinted that they were in for a leadership change in the state. The situation that emerged in the state after Covid outbreak had helped the LDF win the elections, he told Rahul.
He also told him that he has no issues with newly appointed Opposition leader V D Satheeshan. Rahul who lent a patient ear to Chennithala said he has no issues with Chennithala and the decision to change the Opposition leader was taken considering the general view of the leaders from the state.