THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a brief lull, the equation between Opposition Leader VD Satheesan and his predecessor Ramesh Chennithala has again become strained. Chennithala's statement in Kochi on Saturday that he would bring a resolution in the assembly rejecting the Lok Ayukta amendment ordinance signed by the governor has left Satheesan seething.
Satheesan's office has taken notice of Chennithala acting as a "super opposition leader" and decided to take up the issue directly with him and also to bring it to the notice of the national Congress leadership. But Congress state president K Sudhakaran and Chennithala termed the media reports as baseless.
Satheesan has been back in action since Saturday after being confined to the hospital for almost a week following COVID infection. Usually, it is the Congress Legislative Party leader, who is also the Leader of the opposition, who announces major policies like bringing in a resolution against the ruling government after discussing it among the legislators ahead of the assembly session.
Satheesan is upset with Chennithala's hastiness in announcing it unilaterally before the television cameras. Already, the state Congress leadership has been upset with Chennithala for approaching the Lok Ayukta unilaterally against Higher Education Minister R Bindu.
Bindu got a clean chit and the Lok Ayukta dismissed Chennithala’s petition seeking a probe against her on the allegation of misuse of power, nepotism and corruption in the re-appointment of Gopinath Ravindran as Kannur University vice-chancellor.
Senior Congress leader Sooranad Rajasekharan told The New Indian Express that Chennithala should take a leaf out of style of functioning of senior Congress leaders K Karunakaran and AK Antony in the past. "When Karunakaran and Antony were at the helm of the party and also as CLP leaders, they executed their respective roles with élan.," said Sooranad Rajasekharan.
"Did any legislator move singlehandedly against Oommen Chandy and Chennithala when they took over the mantle from their seniors? When Chennithala moved against Bindu as a legislator, it only showed the party in a bad light. Chennithala has eons of experience as a leader at the national and state level which he should not forget now," he added.
Realising the damage he had created, Chennithala was quick to blame the media for raking up the controversy. "The party is united and the latest controversy has been initiated by the media. I have given my wholehearted support to Sudhakaran and we share an excellent camaraderie," said Chennithala.
He also later came up with a Facebook post that he would relentlessly fight against the LDF government's violation of constitutional rights. Sudhakaran also rallied behind Chennithala saying the party would probe how the media came up with reports that the latter would asked to explain his unilateral announcement.