Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that he, along with Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala, would hold talks with the party high command to sort out issues related to the party and the United Democratic Front.
Addressing a press conference soon after holding bilateral talks with leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Kerala Congress(M), Mr. Chandy said the talks would be held on July 28 and 29 when he and Mr. Chennithala would be in New Delhi for a meeting of PCC presidents and Congress Chief Ministers. The party leadership will hold discussions with the UDF partners after the exercise.
A couple of weeks ago, the IUML had called for the intervention of the Congress high command to settle issues within the Congress and prepare the ground for a united coalition ahead of the Parliament elections in 2014. KC(M) leader K.M. Mani had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi the other day and urged her to take steps to ensure that the coalition partners were given a level-playing field. If required, the coalition leaders would also be involved in the process.
“At the end of the Delhi trip, there would be a decision on some of the major issues haunting the UDF,” he said.
Asked whether their Delhi mission would focus on a leadership change or a Cabinet reshuffle, they said that it was for the party high command to take a decision on such matters.
IUML backs Chandy
Earlier in the day, the IUML reiterated its support to the Chief Minister, with party leader E.T. Mohammed Basheer categorically putting an end to the speculation of a leadership change. This was followed by a meeting of senior Congress leaders, who also reiterated their faith in the Chief Minister, even though there was a general consensus that the government had not fully overcome the problems it was facing on account of the scam. The meeting also worked out a plan of action to face the situation.
The Socialist Janata (Democratic), another coalition partner, too strongly supported Mr. Chandy, with its president M.P. Veerendrakumar ruling out the question of Mr. Chandy’s resignation.
