CWC list: Felt disappointed, but won’t protest further, says Ramesh Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala clarified that he will not stage any further protests over his non-inclusion from the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and thanked the party leadership for naming him a permanent invitee in the committee. Speaking at a press conference here on Monday, Chennithala said that all four Keralites included in the CWC were deserving persons and added that his earlier displeasure was due to emotional outbursts. 

“I have not been assigned any special post in the party for the past two years. Ever since stepping down from the post of opposition leader, I have been working for the party and people 24 hours every day. Even if I am not given any posts in future, I will continue my efforts. All those appointed from Kerala to the working committee are fully deserving people,” Chennithala said. 

He further admitted that he had felt strange when he was reassigned to the same post that he served two decades ago. “I was clearly convinced that the issue was not supposed to be discussed amid the crucial Puthuppally bypoll. Later, I spoke to my colleagues in the party and realised that personal gains and losses did not matter,” he said. 

Following the reconstitution of the CWC, Kerala leaders namely Shashi Tharoor, A K Antony and K C Venugopal found a place in the committee and Suresh Kodikunnil was named a special invitee.

In the past, Oommen Chandy, AK Antony and KC Venugopal represented Kerala on the committee. This time, Shashi Tharoor has replaced Oommen Chandy, while AK Antony, despite his reduced active involvement due to age, has been retained.