Fresh Trouble For Congress In Kerala? After CM Snub, Chennithala ‘Unhappy’ With Cabinet Talks, May Stay Out Of Ministry

Thiruvananthapuram: Fresh signs of unease have emerged within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala ahead of the swearing-in of the new government on Monday, with senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala reportedly unhappy over the ongoing Cabinet formation discussions.

Sources said UDF leaders are expected to meet soon to finalise the allocation of ministerial portfolios and decide the composition of the new Cabinet. However, tensions continue to simmer within the Congress after the high-stakes leadership battle over the Chief Minister’s post.

According to sources, Chennithala has expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which Cabinet negotiations are being handled and is pushing for the crucial Home department in the new government headed by VD Satheesan.

The senior Congress leader is also learnt to have demanded Cabinet berths for two MLAs considered close to him, Anwar Sadat and IC Balakrishnan. Sources indicated that neither of the demands has been accepted so far.

Amid the deadlock, there is speculation within Congress circles that Chennithala may even choose to stay out of the ministry if the party leadership refuses to accommodate his demands.

The latest friction comes days after the Congress high command picked Satheesan as Kerala’s next Chief Minister following nearly 10 days of intense lobbying, internal factionalism and consultations in New Delhi.

Satheesan’s elevation was seen as a major victory for the Kerala Congress cadre and regional leadership, who strongly backed him over senior leader KC Venugopal, widely perceived to be the preferred choice of sections of the Congress high command due to his proximity to Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress-led UDF had registered a sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member House and ending the decade-long rule of the Left Democratic Front led by Pinarayi Vijayan.

Despite being one of the senior-most leaders in the Kerala Congress and having played a key role in the UDF campaign, Chennithala was not considered for the Chief Minister’s post during the final round of deliberations. Party insiders said the leadership later attempted to pacify him with assurances during discussions over Cabinet formation and power-sharing arrangements.

Soon after being named Chief Minister-designate, Satheesan had publicly sought to project unity within the Congress and promised to take both Venugopal and Chennithala “into complete confidence”.

“Only a collective effort can build a new Keralam. No one can do it alone. A team can achieve it,” Satheesan had said while addressing reporters in Thiruvananthapuram after his appointment.

While Venugopal publicly accepted the party high command’s decision and extended support to Satheesan, Chennithala had remained largely out of the public spotlight after missing out on the top post, fuelling speculation over discontent within his camp.

With the swearing-in ceremony now just days away, the Congress leadership faces the challenge of balancing competing factional interests while attempting to project stability in the incoming UDF government.

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