Chennithala is KPCC chief

Former Youth Congress president Ramesh Chennithala, 49, has been appointed Kerala Congress chief.

In a break with tradition, the former Lok Sabha MP and ex-president of the NSUI took charge of his new post at the AICC headquarters this morning.

Announcing the appointment, spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said the new state chief 8220;assumed charge before 9am here8221;. Sources said this was done so that Chennithala8217;s appointment could sidestep a Thiruvananthapuram magistrate8217;s stay order on appointing a new Congress president.

Chennithala, a former protege of ex-chief minister K Karunakaran, will be expected to counter his mentor who recently floated the breakaway National Congress Indira. Referring to Karunakaran8217;s attempts to anoint son K Muraleedharan as his successor, a Congress functionary said: 8220;The battle would be between his son and godson Chennithala.8221; Karunakaran and Chennithala are both Nairs.