Keep the flock together, Sonia Gandhi tells Kerala leaders
May 25th, 2011 - 7:57 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked the party unit in Kerala and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to keep the party legislators together in view of the narrow victory margin the United Democratic Front (UDF) has in the state, party sources said.
Gandhi’s reminder comes amidst voices of discontent by some Congressmen about the composition of the new ministry in the state.
“Gandhi gave the instruction of unity to state president Ramesh Chennithala who met her here Tuesday. The party’s central leaders are in regular touch with Chennithala and Chandy to block any attempt of the revival of factionalism,” a party leader told IANS Wednesday.
Chennithala also met party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, party in-charge of Kerala Madhusudan Mistry and other leaders in Delhi.
The UDF has a wafer thin majority with only 72 seats in the 140-member assembly. The opposition Left Democratic Front has 68 seats.
There have been reports of simmering discontent in a section of the party over the formation of the state ministry.
V.M. Sudheeran, a former MP, complained that “V.D. Satheesan, a well-deserving leader” has not been included in the ministry.
K. Muraleedharan, former state unit president and son of veteran leader K. Karunakaran, has also alleged that some leaders worked hard to keep him out of the government.
- 50 percent newcomers, women, youth likely in Congress' Kerala list - Mar 23, 2011
- Chandy, Chennithala to name Congress candidates - Mar 12, 2011
- Chennithala, Muraleedharan likely to contest - Mar 09, 2011
- Murmurs in Congress over Kerala cabinet selection - May 29, 2011
- Caste considerations at play as Chandy mulls cabinet expansion (Kerala Newsletter) - Apr 07, 2012
- Muraleedharan set to return to Congress fold - Feb 15, 2011
- UDF candidates list to be out in a few days: Chennithala - Mar 14, 2011
- Chandy to be sworn-in Kerala chief minister Wednesday (Second Lead) - May 15, 2011
- Muraleedharan feels 'unwanted' as Congress turns him away (Lead) - Jan 27, 2010
- Congress chief to decide on re-entry of Karunakaran's son - Dec 29, 2010
- Kerala may get a tribal woman minister - May 19, 2011
- Chandy's boat sails in troubled waters (News Analysis) - May 23, 2011
- Kerala CPI-M legislator resigns - Mar 09, 2012
- Congress says no to Muraleedharan again - Jan 27, 2010
- Karunakaran: A colossus who rubbed shoulders with Nehru, Indira (Obituary) - Dec 23, 2010
Tags: central leaders, chandy, chief minister, congress president sonia gandhi, democratic front, discontent, k karunakaran, member assembly, mistry, narrow victory, new ministry, party leader, rahul gandhi, ramesh chennithala, s central, state ministry, state president, udf, veteran leader, victory margin