THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the letter sent to Sonia Gandhi, former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has said the decision of the high command to appoint a poll panel under the leadership of Oommen Chandy has kept away the traditional Hindu voters of the party. Chennithala points out that it was one of the important reasons for the poll debacle.

“Despite the restrictions imposed by Covid 19, activities of opposition were effectively implemented. In between this, the party high command appointed a panel under Oommen Chandy to the sideline and humiliate me. Even Oommen Chandy was initially hesitant towards the new appointment,” Chennithala said in the letter.

“I don’t deserve the face of someone who was clinging on to power just for securing positions. Even while electing the opposition leader, I was kept in the dark until the last moment,” he said. Chennithala also said in the letter that no position including that of the opposition leader should be reserved for him.

“I still value all the positions and recognition received in the party. But the measures adopted by the party high command in selecting the opposition leader has pained me. I had already expressed my willingness to step down from the post when the results showing UDF’s humiliating performance had come out but senior leaders in the party including Oommen Chandy have asked me to continue. They pointed out that if the leaders step down then it will affect the confidence of leaders,” he wrote in the letter. He also said that even in the legislative party meeting, the majority asked him to continue in the leadership.

He further said that he had also conducted talks with leaders in the AICC leadership but nobody hinted at the high command’s decision to change the opposition leader. He said that he was ready to step down from the post at any time but it was not right from the party’s side to keep him in the dark and present him as a humiliated leader in front of the general public.