Chennithala, Satheesan put up united face amid reports of infighting

The two warring leaders called the media conference at the behest of the AICC general secretary in-charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunshi.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala , Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala , Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan(Photo |EPS )
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a public show of unity, apparently orchestrated to dispel the popular notion of a bitter feud brewing between them, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala buried the hatchet and displayed mutual warmth at a joint press meet on Wednesday.

The two warring leaders called the media conference at the behest of the AICC general secretary in-charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunshi.

Chennithala and Satheesan, vying to outdo each other in the race for chief ministership in case the UDF comes to power in 2026, held a personal meeting before the presser to iron out differences. Dasmunshi had earlier warned party leaders that there was no point in her continuing as the state in-charge if there was no unity within the Congress leadership in Kerala.

Referring to Excise Minister M B Rajesh’s jibe that both the leaders were holding separate press conferences on the same issue, Satheesan said, as a beaming Chennithala looked on, “Rajesh is concerned that we raise allegations against the government separately. We came here unitedly to dispel his concern.”

The leader of opposition also ridiculed Rajesh for asking why the Opposition did not raise the corruption allegation as an adjournment motion. “The minister should read the rules of business once in a while,” he said.

‘Decision taken without study on water availability’

Ramesh Chennithala alleged large-scale corruption in permitting a liquor baron to establish an ethanol and spirit manufacturing unit in Palakkad and demanded its rollback. Earlier, he had raised the same allegation in the Assembly during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address. He said allowing the unit to come up in water-scarce Elapully panchayat reeks of “favouritism, nepotism and corruption.”

V D Satheesan
V D Satheesan

He said the first Pinarayi Vijayan government had tried to award licences to three breweries and a distillery in 2018. Following fierce protests by the Opposition, the decisions were shelved. Chennithala likened the cabinet decision to allow Oasis Commercial Private Limited to set up the facility in Palakkad to the Delhi excise policy corruption case. He also sought to know how the company, which is facing allegations in the Delhi case, was given permission to set up the facility.

The senior leader said it was ironical that the government which expressed its inability to provide water to public sector company Malabar Distilleries Limited, other industrial units and even the public was keen on promising water supply to the private company. He also alleged that the decision was taken without any scientific study on water availability. Moreover, the local panchayat was not consulted.

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