Change in leadership not on agenda: Ramesh Chennithala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Home Minister and former KPCC Chief Ramesh Chennithala today said demand for a change in leadership was not "on the agenda", but suggested the need for correction of mistakes of the four-year UDF government to face the people in the Assembly polls next year.

"Change in leadership is not on the agenda. What is required is self-introspection and to move forward by correcting mistakes that have happened," Chennithala told a meet-the-press, organised by Thiruvananthapuram press club.

His comments come a day after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy dismissed reports relating to demand for leadership change in Kerala from a section of Congress workers.

"It is all your (media) creation," Chandy had said. Chennithala was responding to questions on reports that his supporters in the party were planning to demand a change in leadership holding that solar and bar bribery scams had dented the image of the government headed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

"Certain natural mistakes occur when a government completes a four-year term. UDF will correct those mistakes through self-examination. There was also failure in bringing to people the achievements of the government," he said.

"This would also be rectified," he said, indicating there was no need to construe the call for correction as a demand for change in leadership.

There was nothing serious in the Congress that could not be resolved, he said.

"The Congress and UDF are united and all decisions have been taken after discussions among myself, Chief Minister and KPCC President V M Sudheeran," he said.

Expressing confidence that people in the state would repose their faith in the UDF, Chennithala claimed that CPI-M and LDF had lost their credibility and their support was waning.

Chennithala also ruled out any political chance for BJP in the state and said "people here liked and have accepted bipolar politics."

On bar bribery licence scam, Chennithala said Vigilance probe in the case was progressing in the right direction.

State Finance Minister and Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani and Congress leader and Excise Minister K Babu are facing bribery charges in the scam.