‘Wants to abstain from public activity’; all that has to be said will be said after Puthupally bypolls, say K Muraleedharan and Chennithala 

KOZHIKODE: K Muraleedharan MP has hinted that he will not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said that he wants to stay away from public work.

‘Have to some things openly after the Puthupally election. The construction of the K Karunakaran memorial has not been completed. After the end of the term of this Lok Sabha, wants to stay away from public life to concentrate on that. The details will be said after September 6,’clarified K Muraleedharan.

The congress working committee was revamped the other day. The committee included Shashi Tharoor MP, who contested against Mallikarjun Kharge for the post of AICC president, and those with different stands. Harsh critics were included in the highest committee of the party.

Ramesh Chennithala, who expected permanent membership, became a permanent invitee. Kodikunnil Suresh MP was made special invitee. Organisational general secretary K C Venugopal and A K Antony became permanent members again. Five from Kerala are in the committee.

There is talk among the leaders that Chennithala did not get the post he deserved in the CWC. KPCC president K Sudhakaran responded this to the media. Ramesh Chennithala had expressed his displeasure with the reorganization. During the Puthupally by-election campaigning yesterday, his body language showed his resentment at being avoided.

Chennithala was also an invitee in 2014. After that he became KPCC chief and opposition leader in Kerala. He feels that being made a permanent invitee again is like degrading him. Chennithala responded that the focus is only on the Puthupally by-election and what has to be said will be said after September 6.

After the reorganization of the working committee, none of the AICC leaders contacted Chennithala. When some leaders of the state contacted him, he said that he is not dissatisfied. Sources close to him indicate that Chennithala is not interested in taking charge of any other state including Maharashtra.

Chennithala, who was removed from the opposition leader’s post in 2021, considered it as an insult, shared the feeling of being constantly humiliated after that. However, his stand is that there is no need to openly challenge the leadership.

Meantime, the high command is of the stand that Chennithala has not been neglected. The stand is that there is a limit to considering all the leaders according to the community equation and the representation as permanent invitee is proof of inducting him.