THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Usually, former chief minister Oommen Chandy ensures his return ticket first before leaving for New Delhi. But this time, he was in no hurry. On the first day, he met vice-president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Mukul Wasnik. On the second day, he held talks with AICC secretary in charge of the state, Dipak Babaria. His mission focused on organisational elections - the only panacea he suggests to rejuvenate the party in disarray after the electoral drubbing.
He told the high command that his rivals in the ‘I’ camp had taken a stand before the Assembly elections that the UDF would not return to power and that did him in. It worked against the party's prospects in several constituencies, especially in Thiruvananthapuram district, like Parassala (A. T. George), Neyyattinkara (N. Sakthan), Kazhakoottam (M. A. Vahid), Nedumangad (Palode Ravi) and Vamanapuram (T. Saratchandra Prasad).
“Mr Chandy came to know about the rival camp’s move only after the elections," a Congress leader told DC on condition of anonymity. Mr Chandy did not react to the backstabbing in party forums and was waiting for the right moment to ‘act’. That moment came when Mr Chennithala's camp walked away with the lion's share of eight DCC presidents. But Mr Chandy was satisfied with the outcome of talks with Mr Gandhi. He told his trusted lieutenants, “I wouldn’t have told the media in New Delhi that I am happy if I was not completely satisfied.” He returned to Thiruvananthapuram late Tuesday evening.
