<p>Thiruvananthapuram: As the usual revolving door phenomenon in Kerala politics involving the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) failed in 2021 with the UDF suffering second consecutive defeat, it was almost like Congress senior leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ramesh-chennithala">Ramesh Chennithala</a> losing the Chief Minister post between the cup and the lip.</p><p>Had the UDF won the 2021 polls, Chennithala, who had been leading the UDF as Leader of Opposition (LoP) from 2016, could have emerged as a natural front-runner to the Chief Minister post. </p><p>In the shake up following the second consecutive defeat for the UDF, Chennithala had to give way for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/v-d-satheesan">V D Satheesan</a> as Congress legislature party leader and LoP UDF. </p>.Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 | Congress facing a problem of plenty for top post.<p>However, it seems that Chennithala was indeed taking a step back to leap forward with more vigour. </p><p>Chennithala, who is one of the senior-most Congress leaders in Kerala now, remained vibrant by bringing out many corruption charges against the government in the last five years.</p>.DH Interview | Projection of some leaders as CM candidate of Congress is 'unfair', says V D Satheesan .<p>Veteran politician P J Kurien and K Sudhakaran MP have projected Chennithala as the next Chief Minister despite the party national leadership repeatedly stating that CM candidate will be selected only after the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/kerala-assembly-elections-2026">2026 Assembly elections</a>. </p><p>Chennithala is now seeking mandate for the sixth time as MLA from Harippad in Alappuzha, his home district. </p><p>Chennithala, who is now 69, was the youngest to become a minister in Kerala at the age of 28 in the 1986 K Karunakaran government. He also served as home minister from 2014 to 2016 in the Oommen Chandy government.</p><p>He was also MP for four times and held various positions like Kerala PCC president and AICC in-charge in various states. He is now a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. </p><p>AICC also made him the chairman of the Congress campaign committee for the ensuing Kerala Assembly elections. </p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: As the usual revolving door phenomenon in Kerala politics involving the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) failed in 2021 with the UDF suffering second consecutive defeat, it was almost like Congress senior leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ramesh-chennithala">Ramesh Chennithala</a> losing the Chief Minister post between the cup and the lip.</p><p>Had the UDF won the 2021 polls, Chennithala, who had been leading the UDF as Leader of Opposition (LoP) from 2016, could have emerged as a natural front-runner to the Chief Minister post. </p><p>In the shake up following the second consecutive defeat for the UDF, Chennithala had to give way for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/v-d-satheesan">V D Satheesan</a> as Congress legislature party leader and LoP UDF. </p>.Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 | Congress facing a problem of plenty for top post.<p>However, it seems that Chennithala was indeed taking a step back to leap forward with more vigour. </p><p>Chennithala, who is one of the senior-most Congress leaders in Kerala now, remained vibrant by bringing out many corruption charges against the government in the last five years.</p>.DH Interview | Projection of some leaders as CM candidate of Congress is 'unfair', says V D Satheesan .<p>Veteran politician P J Kurien and K Sudhakaran MP have projected Chennithala as the next Chief Minister despite the party national leadership repeatedly stating that CM candidate will be selected only after the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/kerala-assembly-elections-2026">2026 Assembly elections</a>. </p><p>Chennithala is now seeking mandate for the sixth time as MLA from Harippad in Alappuzha, his home district. </p><p>Chennithala, who is now 69, was the youngest to become a minister in Kerala at the age of 28 in the 1986 K Karunakaran government. He also served as home minister from 2014 to 2016 in the Oommen Chandy government.</p><p>He was also MP for four times and held various positions like Kerala PCC president and AICC in-charge in various states. He is now a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. </p><p>AICC also made him the chairman of the Congress campaign committee for the ensuing Kerala Assembly elections. </p>