THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has made public his unhappiness after top leadership decided not to induct him as a member in the party’s top decision making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
Chennithala, who previously served as the state home minister and the party’s state unit chief, has instead been designated as a permanent invitee to the CWC.
His supporters expected Chennithala to secure a full membership in the wake of former chief minister Oommen Chandy’s death.
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“The role of permanent invitee is not unfamiliar to me; I held this position 19 years ago. The party announced the members of the CWC without holding detailed discussions with the members. I will not make any public statement over the matter and I will declare my stance before the leadership,” he told media persons.
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who ran against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the organizational elections, has been granted full CWC membership after deliberations, indicating that he is set to play a major role in the 2024 poll planning and campaigning.
Interestingly, former defence minister AK Antony, who is suffering from age-related ailments and whose son Anil Antony joined the BJP earlier this year, has secured a spot on the list.
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According to Congress leaders, Chennithala may consider concluding his campaign efforts in the Puthuppally constituency, return to Thiruvananthapuram and engage with central party leaders very soon.
Chennithala’s political career spans four terms as a Member of Parliament from Kottayam and Mavelikkara constituencies, along with five terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), including his current term from the Haripad assembly constituency. His unique accolades include being the sole leader from South India to lead both the State Students Union (KSU) and National Students Union (NSUI), as well as the only Malayali to have held the position of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure. He was a member of the CWC in 2004.