Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, who has been trying to assert his authority over the ‘I’ group, has begun meeting the faction leaders from every district to win their support. This follows the unexpected jolt he suffered when the ‘I’ group leaders stayed away from the group meeting he had called at his official residence on Friday last.
Mr Chennithala met leaders like KPCC general secretary N. Venugopal, Youth Congress vice- president C. R. Mahesh, former All-India Youth Congress general secretary Mathew Kuzhalnadan and secretary Deepthi Mary Varghese in Kochi on Wednesday. Sources said he would meet more group leaders across the state soon.
“Chennithala is on a mission to reassure the group leaders who have been inactive after the poll debacle. He wants to wake them from their ‘cold slumber,’” said a leader.
The group leaders feel that Mr Chennithala, who grabbed the Opposition Leader post, had ignored them. His trusted lieutenant K. Sudhakaran and MLAs K. Muraleedharan and V. D. Satheeshan have not got preference in the party. Mr Chennithala claims all credit for himself leaving the rest to sulk,” said a source.
Mr Chennithala had earlier rubbished the report that the group had withered away though the AICC had been warning the leaders not to promote factional politics. The party restructuring may take place without groupism soon, it is learnt.
