Thiruvananthapuram, May 16 (IANS) Barely days after one of the fiercest leadership contests the Congress in Kerala has witnessed in recent years, newly-chosen Chief Minister designate V.D. Satheesan and AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal on Saturday publicly buried all signs of rivalry, projecting an image of unity and organisational discipline as the UDF prepares to formally assume office in Kerala.

The much watched meeting between the two leaders was held at Venugopal’s residence on Saturday afternoon and carried enormous political significance.

It was their first face-to-face interaction after the dramatic climax to the Congress leadership race in which Venugopal, who is widely believed to have enjoyed the backing of a majority of newly-elected legislators, lost out at the final moment as the party high command threw its weight behind Satheesan.

Despite the intense undercurrents of the past few days, both leaders appeared determined to signal that the power struggle was firmly behind them.

“We see each other every day, but this is the first meeting after the Chief Minister’s name was cleared. Whatever happened a few days back is all history now,” Venugopal told reporters after the meeting.

Stressing that the party was now fully focussed on governance, Venugopal said, “The people of Kerala are looking forward to Satheesan’s administration and so are we. We have been friends and colleagues for a long time. The party is the thread that binds all of us together.”

Satheesan, meanwhile, used the opportunity to firmly dismiss speculation about internal divisions and mounting tensions over Cabinet formation.

Hitting out at sections of the media, he accused them of attempting to manufacture discord within the Congress camp.

“A section of the media tried its best to drive a wedge between leaders. But decisions in the Congress are taken only after elaborate discussions at every level,” Satheesan said. “There is nothing in our party that cannot be resolved. We are capable of finding solutions in a flash.”

The Chief Minister-designate also made it clear that the final list of ministers would be approved only after clearance from the Congress high command.

Seeking to calm growing anxiety among aspirants and their supporters, he assured that the process was nearing completion and hinted at a swift swearing-in.

“Did anyone expect the entire Cabinet to be sworn in so quickly? By Sunday afternoon, the final list will be submitted and on Monday the full Cabinet will take oath. Has this happened in the CPI(M) before?” Satheesan remarked, while also strongly defending Venugopal’s role in the process.

“KC Venugopal has always remained impartial,” he said, urging the media not to become ‘tense’ over the Cabinet composition.

With both the senior leaders now publicly closing ranks, the Congress leadership hopes the focus will rapidly shift from internal power equations to the challenge of governance after its emphatic return to power in Kerala.

–IANS

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