With Ramesh Chennithala, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, getting the Home and Vigilance portfolio in all probability, suspense is building up over what the incumbent Home Minister, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, will be left with.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who ruled out the question of dropping any Minister, kept his plans of distribution of portfolio under wraps, adding to the suspense about the job that Mr. Radhakrishnan would get.
Mr. Radhakrishnan held a press conference here on Tuesday that turned out to be a farewell of sorts. While stating that he would abide by the decisions of the party high command, Mr. Radhakrishnan reportedly made it clear that he should be given the Revenue portfolio he held prior to being shifted to the Home Department 18 months ago.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Radhakrishnan’s stand is that the current political development is not his making, and he had managed the Home and Vigilance portfolios to the best of his abilities without landing in any kind of controversies.
Returning the Revenue portfolio to him is nothing but an honourable deal.
Mr. Radhakrishnan, it appears, does not have supporters within the “A” group.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Chief Minister is not under any pressure to ensure that the faction gets back the Revenue portfolio, currently held by Adoor Prakash. Therefore, it is possible that Mr. Radhakrishnan will be asked to look after Forest and Sports, which does not have a Minister after Mr. Ganesh Kumar quit some 10 months ago.
Mr. Radhakrishnan had held the Forest portfolio for a brief period in the Chandy Cabinet in 2005. The Chief Minister would want a Minister in place for Forest and Sports as the Budget session of the Assembly is beginning on Friday.
Making a formal announcement of Mr. Chennithala’s induction into his Cabinet, Mr. Chandy indicated that there would be only a minor reallocation of subjects.
He promised a more comprehensive reshuffle after the Lok Sabha elections. But Mr. Radhakrishnan has reportedly indicated to the Chief Minister that he is not inclined to wait for an appropriate accommodation.