In the Congress’s faction-ridden politics, leaders praising those belonging to rival camps is rare. Former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, MLA, was in for that honour as his biography was released here on Wednesday.
Ramesh Chennithala: Arinjathum ariyathathum, the biography, is written by veteran journalist C.P. Rajasekharan.
It was M.K. Raghavan, Kozhikode MP, who first complimented Mr. Chennithala for his non-controversial approach and firm commitment to party principles. Mr. Raghavan also praised his humility even after reaching positions such as Home Minister, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, MP, MLA, and the posts of national president of the National Students’ Union of India and the Indian Youth Congress.
“People who have worked under him, such as Mamata Banerjee and K. Chandrasekhar Rao, are now Chief Ministers of States. You need to be lucky to be the Chief Minister of a State. I believe Mr. Chennithala has every chance to become the CM,” Mr. Raghavan said. The Kozhikode MP is part of the ‘A’ group of the Congress, considered to be the rivals of the ‘I’ group which Mr. Chennithala represents.
K. Jayanth, KPCC general secretary, said that even after he was not made a member of the Congress Working Committee, Mr. Chennithala did not air his displeasure in public. “There was no provocative statement from him,” he said. T. Siddique, MLA, and K. Praveenkumar, Kozhikode district Congress committee president, were the others who also praised Mr. Chennithala.
The biography was released by Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, Indian Union Muslim League State president, by handing over a copy to Mr. Raghavan. Mathrubhumi managing director M.V. Shreyams Kumar and managing editor P.V. Chandran, among others, were present.
