Chief Minister Oommen Chandy left for Delhi on Sunday, hoping for a happy settlement of the problems haunting the Congress, while Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala continued to be diffident about his joining the UDF government.
Mr. Chandy, who arrived in New Delhi late on Sunday, is expected to lead the ongoing discussions to help his government ride out of a piquant political situation that has found a sustained Opposition campaign demanding his resignation for his alleged complicity in the solar scam cases.
He is expected to hold what is being termed as “winding up discussions” on the proposed Cabinet reshuffle.
Mr. Chennithala, who has been in Delhi for the last two days, has already made known his reluctance to join the Cabinet to the party High Command.
His supporters such as AICC secretary V.D. Satheesan, Joseph Vazhakkan, and others have been carrying out their own campaigns to block the party leadership’s bid to end the Kerala problems by inducting Mr. Chennithala.
Chennithala supporters have been arguing that his induction is unlikely to solve the current solar scam crisis, especially in the context of the general debate in public domain about the links of various leaders. A total overhaul of the Cabinet would also not be sufficient to prevent the erosion of the image of the UDF government, they have told the leadership.
Mr. Chandy kept his cards close to his chest, without revealing much of his plans. Prior to leaving for Delhi, he said in Kochi that he was hopeful of some happy news at the end. All the other issues, including the question of leadership change, were within the purview of the Congress High Command, he maintained.
Mr. Chandy also has been exuding confidence about his government coming out of the maze of controversies unscathed, based on the strength of the unconditional support of the coalition partners.
