THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala is a worried man ever since the RSP state secretary A. A. Azeez questioned his efficiency. With Congress MLA K. Muraleedharan also rallying behind former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy saying he would make a better LoP, the harried Chennithala group has decided to sideline him. Top Congress sources told DC that despite Mr Chandy reiterating he would never hold any party posts, he was still nursing political ambitions. Ever since the debate started raging on Saturday, both the ‘I’ and ‘A’ factions have been abuzz with activities.
At the same time when Mr Chennithala was appointed as LoP immediately after the Assembly debacle, a peeved Mr Muraleedharan had more or less severed ties with the ‘I’ group much to their disappointment. Mr Muraleedharan who is representing Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency in Thiruvananthapuram has a strong support base in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kozhikode districts and to some extent in Thrissur. There has always been a comparison between Mr Muraleedharan and Mr Chennithala, both former KPCC presidents. Many in the party feel the former was a better communicator.
“Mr Chennithala’s words don’t sound compelling as Mr Muraleedharan. For quite some time, Mr Muraleedharan has been aiming at the post of the UDF convener. It is uncertain of another Nair leader at the top,” said a senior leader. KPCC’s high power Political Affairs Committee meeting on Wednesday is likely to discuss the issue.
Chennithala camp is sure that Mr Chandy is behind the latest controversy. They feel he and his group leaders are on a mission to convey that Mr Chennithala is a failure which would force the AICC to intervene. “Mr Chandy is aiming for a crucial role in the long run. In case the AICC intervenes, and there is a change of guard, then history would repeat like what had happened when A. K. Antony replaced K. Karunakaran. It would bring only more trouble for the Congress,” said a Congress MLA.
