Thiruvanathapuram: The imminent cabinet shuffle planned by Chief Minister Ooommen Chandy has triggered anxiety among the hopefuls as well as those trying to retain their posts. Those close to Mr Chandy feel that he would prefer merit to communal balance.
Congress sources told Deccan Chronicle that Mr Chandy will give Speaker G. Karthikeyan an appropriate post and reinduct former forest minister K. B. Ganesh Kumar in his team. Deccan Chronicle had reported earlier that Mr Karthikeyan would resign his Speaker post after the current Assembly session ends on July 17.
Mr Karthikeyan is keen to get the revenue portfolio, but whether the ‘I’ group will part with it is doubtful. Currently, revenue is held by prominent ‘I’ group leader Adoor Prakash. A top Congress leader told DC that AICC working committee member A. K. Antony had expressed his apprehension on inducting Mr Karthikeyan into the cabinet.
“If Karthikeyan is being offered a ministerial berth, Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will become the Speaker. If Karthikeyan is not made a minister, Pathanamthitta MLA K. Sivadasan Nair will chair the Assembly session. If Mr Ganesh Kumar rejoins the ministry, Cooperation Minister C. B. Balakrishnan will have to leave,” an MLA of the ‘A’ camp told DC. Though the cabinet reshuffle is yet to be discussed in the party forum, the Congress camp is already divided over the re-entry of Mr Ganesh into the cabinet.
