In Kerala,Cong rift out in open

K P Anil Kumar,Congress state general secretary and Chennithala loyalist,said the state party chief would not join the Cabinet even if he is offered the deputy chief ministers post.

He would go to the Cabinet as nothing less than chief minister. What had happened to K Karunakaran and his son K Muraleedharan should not happen to Chennithala. We do not have the liability to keep the government afloat, he said.

Earlier in the day,Chandy confidant and minister K C Joseph met Chennithala after he reportedly told a newspaper that the days of good rapport between the party and the government were over. Although Chennithala denied the interview,he did not refute its content. Meanwhile,Chandy refused to be drawn into the controversy and said he would not insult any leader.

The state Congress had toed the idea of Cabinet berth for Chennithala to settle the standoff between party and the Hindu Nair community. Also Chennithala had to be included in the government as he would have to end the eight-year innings as state president.

Chandys loyalists M M Hassan and Thambanoor Ravi had held talks with Chennithala. But the move to bring him to Cabinet seems to have backfired.