Kerala chief minister-designate V.D. Satheesan on Saturday met Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, a contender for the post, at the latter’s residence amid discussions on cabinet formation.
Satheesan also met Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala — the sulking third contender — before visiting Venugopal’s residence.
Chennithala has relented to the pressure and agreed to take up the two key portfolios — home and vigilance — in the Satheesan cabinet, which will be sworn in on Monday.
Apart from home and vigilance, Chennithala had sought ministerial berths for three of his colleagues and a Pradesh Congress Committee post for a non-MLA.
Satheesan and Venugopal called on Chennithala separately for the second consecutive day on Saturday and pressured him to change his mind.
Satheesan arrived at Venugopal’s residence at 1.30pm, where several Congress leaders and newly elected MLAs were present. In a closed-door meeting, Venugopal is said to have bargained for a tighter grip on the cabinet by including MLAs loyal to him.
Later, both leaders addressed reporters together, stressing unity within the party.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the key ally in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), has clinched a meatier bargain with five portfolios.
“Satheesan became the chief minister with the help of the IUML. So he has been forced to succumb to its demands to rope in five of their ministers into the cabinet,” a Congress MLA designate told The Telegraph.
Satheesan will submit a list of cabinet ministers after vetting by the Congress high command to Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar by Sunday evening. All 20 ministers will be sworn in after Satheesan takes oath as the 13th chief minister of Kerala at Central Stadium here on Monday.