Mr Antony said both the party and the front should work united
Senior Congress leader A. K. Antony
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader A. K. Antony and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V. M. Sudheeran have scotched speculation over a leadership change in Kerala in the wake of party vice-president V. D. Satheeshan’s comment that home minister Ramesh Chennithala (who heads the I group) was an apt choice for the chief minister.
Mr Antony, a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, and Mr Sudheeran resorted to the damage control measures when they realised that the situation was getting out of control. Urging the party leaders to keep aside their differences, Mr Antony said both the party and the front should work united or else the United Democratic Front (UDF) would not be able to romp home in the upcoming local body elections.
“External support is not what is required now but mental support. Whatever differences are there between the leaders, they should be settled. There is definitely difference of opinion in the party. But that can be settled as there are no differences which cannot be patched up. There is nothing serious,” Mr Antony said. Mr Sudheeran who is in New Delhi to meet Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi urged the party leaders to show restraint.
“Congress leaders should refrain from making statements in the public. It’s not an ultimatum, but a humble request from my side. So far not a single discussion had taken place about a change of guard. I don’t think it’s a result of the factional feud,” Mr Sudheeran said. Incidentally, Mr Chennithala was silent since the beginning of the slanging match between Mr Satheeshan, culture minister K. C. Joseph and Kodikunnil Suresh MP.
Mr Chennithala who was in Kozhikode remained tightlipped on the whole controversy though he had agreed with Mr Antony’s statement saying corruption was on the rise in all quarters. Mr Satheeshan said in Kozhikode that if the reality was to be understood, it was better to ask the Congress leaders who were working at the bottom level. He said everyone had the right to criticise the government’s policies for which age was not a criterion.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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