Chennithala loses out on post in reconstituted CWC, made only permanent invitee

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 20 (IANS) Senior Congress leader from Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala has to be content with being a permanent invitee in the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC), instead of being a member.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, who was part of the 'G23' group who sought wide-ranging reforms in the party and contested for the party chief's post against Mallikarjun Kharge, finds place in the party's highest decision-making body.

Others from the state included are veteran leader, A.K. Antony, who has declared himself retired from active politics, and Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal.

Chennithala had a speedy rise, becoming minister in the Kerala government under K. Karunakaran at the age of 27 and later serving as national President of the Congress' student wing, the National Students Union of India (NSU) and then of the Youth Congress.

Talking to IANS, sources close to Chennithala said: "Chennithala has been sidelined in Congress. He was a permanent invitee of the Congress party 19 years before and again including him in the same list does not look nice. People like Shashi Tharoor, Mukul Wasnik, and Anand Sharma who raised revolt in the name of G23 finds a place in the reconstituted Congress Working Committee while Chennithala who has always toed the party line is out of the highest decision-making body of the Congress. This is insult to a genuine and natural leader of the Congress."

Chennithala was not available for comment. However, his close associates told IANS that he would protest to the top leadership against this decision to "sideline" him in the party.