Congress high command last word for me: Chennithala

Ramesh Chennithala expresses loyalty to Gandhi-Nehru family, says he never hankered after any position. He cites his 'tireless work' as humble worker in past two years. He believes INDIA alliance can win next Parliament election. He flays CM Pinarayi Vijayan for long-drawn silence on allegations against family. He demands investigation into conspiracy to fabricate evidence against Oommen Chandy. He says Congress peddles 'real faith', not 'soft Hindutva'.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has reiterated his faith in the party’s central leadership and said he remained loyal to the Gandhi-Nehru family all his life.

In an interview with The Hindu early this week, he said the party high command was the last word for him.

“The party has given me everything. Indira Gandhi made me NSUI [National Students’ Union of India] national president. Rajiv Gandhi made me Indian Youth Congress president. P.V. Narasimha Rao made me secretary of the AICC [All India Congress Committee]. Sonia Gandhi made me a special and permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the Kerala PCC [Pradesh Congress Committee] president. Rahul Gandhi made me the Opposition Leader...,” Mr. Chennithala recounted.

While the announcement of his selection as a permanent invitee to the CWC – a post he held 19 years ago – pained him, he would abide by the party’s decision. “This is the time for every Congressman to stand together and fight the next Parliament election which is important for the country. Because if Modi comes to power again, the country will be ruined. There is an alternative and the INDIA alliance can win,” he said adding that all five Kerala-based leaders selected to positions in the CWC merited being part of the apex body. 

Mr. Chennithala said he never hankered after any position and cited his ‘tireless work’ as a humble worker in the past two years, ever since he was removed as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. He said he drew his strength from the love and affection showered on him by his party workers and the people.

The Congress in Kerala, he argued, was a house in order. “Compared to earlier, there is no problem in the Congress now. Earlier there were divisions, infighting and public utterances against one another. The Congress and the United Democratic Front are intact and ready to face any challenge thrown by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)  or the Bharatiya Janata Party,” he said.

Asked about K. Muraleedharan’s disparaging statements in the wake of the UDF’s victory in the Puthuppally byelection, he said it never augured good for the party to give ammunition to opponents. “Every political party is bound to have internal differences. I have so many differences too, but I never washed dirty linen in public. If you do so, people will lose faith in you. I would urge Muraleedharan, a responsible leader and a former PCC president, to desist from making such utterances.”