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Journalism of Courage
Rival Chandy’s group adamant on holding on to Home portfolio
The Congress has delayed the entry of party state chief Ramesh Chennithala into the Cabinet after the move was marred by a fresh bout of factionalism and Chief Minister Oommen Chandys reluctance to surrender a key department to his rival.
Chennithala,who had dropped hints about his intention to join the Cabinet after ending his eight-year-long stint as party state president,was forced to wait as Chandy was not willing to part with Home Department,currently being held by his loyalist Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.
A crestfallen Chennithala,who had earlier said he would go by the high commands decision on Cabinet entry,Monday night said the party state chiefs post was higher than that of a minister.
Congress sources said Chandys group was adamant that it would not surrender Home to facilitate Chennithalas entry. The idea of Chennithala,an upper class Hindu,as deputy chief minister also did not go well with allies Indian Union Muslim League and regional Christian party Kerala Congress (Mani).
The proposal to give Revenue to Chennithala was also opposed by backward Hindu leader Vellappally Nateshan as his nominee Adoor Prakash held that department.
Hindu Nair community leader Sukumaran Nair Tuesday blamed Chandy for blocking Chennithalas entry into Cabinet. Chandy is behind the neglect towards Chennithala. If party chiefs post is higher than a ministers,why not Chandy assume as party state president, said Nair.
A Congress legislator said the party in Kerala has surrendered the decision-making process to community leaders. Congress can neither select the ministers nor decide even their portfolios. Our role is now confined to executing community leaders diktats, said the legislator.
In the meantime,a move to bring back K B Ganesh Kumar,who quit as forest minister two months ago after his wife complained of domestic violence,into the Cabinet has created another headache for the ruling UDF.
Kumar belongs to the Kerala Congress (B),which is headed by his father R Balakrishan Pillai. Since the part was not represented in the Cabinet,UDF last week decided to appoint Pillai as the chairman of newly formed Forward Caste Development Corporation,with Cabinet rank.
But,in a sudden twist,Pillai ironed out his differences with his estranged son Kumar. Pillai then put forward a fresh demand for his sons re-entry into the Cabinet. But on Tuesday,government chief whip P C George said Kumar should not be made a minister on moral ground as the charges still exist.
