THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ball is now in the court of the Congress high command to select the next legislative party leader after two central observers Mallikarjun Kharge and V Vaithilingam apprised the party national leadership of the choices of the 21 newly-elected MLAs from Kerala.
It is learnt that a section of the young MLAs questioned the decision of leaders of the ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups to rally behind Ramesh Chennithala to continue as the Opposition leader during the one-to-one meetings with central observers on Tuesday. They are believed to have favoured VD Satheesan. The two factions came up with a formula of having Chennithala continue as the Opposition leader and senior ‘A’ group leader K C Joseph as the next state Congress president.
This has obviously not gone down well with a section of young ‘A’ group MLAs who told their leader Oommen Chandy that if the Congress has to bounce back after the humiliating defeat, a change is imminent.
Kharge and Vaithilingam were closeted with state Congress president Mullappally Ramachandran, vice-president Sooranad Rajasekharan who was also the chairman of the Election Management Committee, working president K V Thomas and senior political affairs committee leaders Prof P J Kurien and K C Joseph before meeting the newly-elected MLAs. A senior leader close to Chennithala told TNIE that he has got the majority support.
“After the individual meetings with the MLAs, the central observers also called a meeting of all legislators including MPs. A resolution was passed unanimously that a final decision on the next CLP leader will be taken by the Congress high command. Except Satheesan and Sunny Joseph, the rest of the MLAs supported Chennithala,” said a senior Congress leader.
However, Satheesan camp claimed that he has got the support of 11 MLAs. Senior MLAs Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and P T Thomas are learnt to have pitched their own names. The two central observers have since returned to Bengaluru. The Congress high command is expected to announce the next CLP leader in New Delhi within two days.
Both claim majority
A leader close to Chennithala said the incumbent Oppn leader has got majority support.
Satheesan camp claimed he has got support of 11 MLAs.
Senior MLAs Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and P T Thomas have pitched their own names.