The INTUC rebellion against opposition leader V D Satheesan, which threatened to rupture the organisational equilibrium of the Congress party, seems to have been effectively quelled by some smart balancing act by KPCC chief K Sudhakaran.
Sudhakaran, in a fine show of mediatory brilliance, did not disown either party. He agreed with Satheesan's claim that INTUC was not a frontal organisation, but said the trade union was far more important than a frontal organisation.
"Even if INTUC is not among the frontal organisations of the Congress as per the party's constitution, the importance the AICC has bestowed on the INTUC is far above this. The opposition leader was also trying to articulate the same thing. The INTUC is Congress's own," Sudhakaran told reporters after holding a combined discussion with the two warring parties.
Chandrasekharan who was seen beside the KPCC president said the issue had been completely settled. "I am satisfied. No KPCC president in history has spoken so highly of the importance of the INTUC. It is in front of you that the KPCC president has said that he would hold the INTUC very close to the Congress party," Chandrasekharan told reporters.
Satheesan would also have been satisfied with the way things turned out. The KPCC chief also announced that action would be taken against INTUC workers who had taken out processions against the opposition leader at Kazhakuttam and Changanassery. However, the public nuisance caused during the two-day strike of trade unions, which had apparently provoked Satheesan, was left untouched.
A few hours before, Chandrasekharan was in a combative mode even after a one-on-one with the KPCC chief. He had reminded Satheesan of INTUC's historical links with the Congress party and how iconic Congress leaders had considered INTUC an integral part of the Congress party.
Nonetheless, it does not look like the bitterness has vanished. Top INTUC leaders in Changanassery have already stated that they would not tolerate action against any of their members for taking out a protest march against Satheesan.
Earlier, Satheesan had alleged that the INTUC rebellion was the handiwork of "instigators" within the party. This was widely interpreted to mean Ramesh Chennithala and his cohorts. Congress sources had earlier confirmed that Sastheesan had in fact complained to the High Command of Chennithala's conspiratorial ways.
However, after visiting Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday, Chennithala told reporters in New Delhi that he was not " so cheap" as to play such tricks on the party.
