Kerala Assembly: Former Home Minister Chennithala to become Opposition leader

Former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala is being made leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Kerala by virtue of which he would be the Opposition leader in the state assembly. A consensus in this regard was reached among KPCC President V M Sudheeran, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Chennithala today.

The consensus reached among the state leaders have been conveyed to the party high command and it was party high command to make a final decision, party sources said.

Chennithala, a former KPCC President, was elected to state assembly from Haripad. Chandy would continue as the Chairman of the party led UDF, the sources said. Chandy had already expressed reservation against taking over as Leader of the Opposition Leader after the UDF suffered a drubbing in the May 16 polls.

The consensus was reached ahead of the first meeting of the newly elected MLA's of Congress, scheduled to be held here on May 29 to elect CLP leader.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit would participate in the meeting as high command representative, besides AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik and Secretary Deepak Babaria.