THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the rift between KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over various issues has damaged the semblence of unity in the Congress party and widened the communal divide in the state, the intervention by the party central leadership is forcing the duo to close ranks, even as factionalism among the middle and lower rungs of the party is bound to intensify. With organisations such as NSS also lambasting Oommen Chandy over the issue, causing a dent in the image of the government, a patch-up has become inevitable to hold ground for both the party and the government.“I don’t want to precipitate issues,’’ Ramesh told ‘Express’, while admitting that a meeting of the KPCC will have to be convened to settle the issues.“All issues could be sorted out soon through a dialogue,’’ the Chief Minister told this paper. Chandy, however, said that no time had been fixed for the talks.“We are meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issues raised by R Balakrishna Pillai. UDF convenor P P Thankachan will also be there,’’ the Chief Minister said.However, Defence Minister A K Antony and other central leaders are believed to be in close touch with the two leaders even as the factional equations in the Congress undergoing fast changes, with many of the trusted lieutenants of Chandy becoming disgruntled and turning against him.The reshuffling of key portfolios by the Chief Minister, including his relinquishing of the Home portfolio, after allegedly keeping the KPCC chief in the dark has taken a turn for the worse with the latter coming out openly against it.The KPCC president said that the onus of acceding to the fifth minister demand of the IUML was not with the Chief Minister alone but him also.“The finalisation of the fifth minister was our joint responsibility. I had gone to New Delhi to hold discussions on the directives of the CM. But in the reshuffle of portfolios, it was an altogether different approach. Let him effect the changes after discussions. I was humiliated,’’ Ramesh said. “When the Chief Minister says that he had discussed the matter with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, A K Antony and Ahmed Patel, why not with me?’’ Ramesh said. “What has been told to me by the CM was about the portfolio of Coir and the Pollution Control Board only, during the swearing-in ceremony of the two new ministers. It cannot be that way,’’ he said. “Had there been any rift between us, it would have been understandable,’’ he added. However, Chandy preferred to distance himself from the row. "I have not said anything. It is not going to be a big issue as is being made out,’’ he said.
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