<p>Thiruvananthapuram: As discussions on cabinet formation and seat-sharing in Kerala under <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/vd-satheesan">V D Satheesan </a>progress, speculation is mounting over whether senior Congress leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ramesh-chennithala">Ramesh Chennithala</a> will be included in the Cabinet and if the IUML will be allotted the education portfolio.<br></p><p>Satheesan and other senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunsi, are attempting to placate Chennithala, who is reportedly upset after missing out on the Chief Minister post.<br></p><p>Satheesan visited Chennithala at his residence on Friday, after which Chennithala told reporters that he was happy with the Congress high command’s decision to appoint Satheesan as Chief Minister. He added that it was for the party to decide whether he should be included in the Cabinet or not, and said he shared a good personal relationship with Satheesan.<br></p><p>Satheesan described Chennithala as his leader and a brother-like figure, and sought his blessings.</p> <p>It is learnt that if persuaded to join the Cabinet, Chennithala, who was a former Home Minister, may insist on retaining the Home portfolio. He is also likely to push for one of his loyalists to be appointed as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, as incumbent Sunny Joseph is expected to join the Cabinet.</p>.Veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala misses Kerala CM post again as V D Satheesan takes the crown.<p>Chennithala who lost the race to the CM post in 2011 was then made home minister in the Oommen Chandy led cabinet.</p><p><br>Chennithala had gone to Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple soon after AICC's decision to make Satheesan the Chief Minister was conveyed to him. He did not attend the Congress legislature party on Thursday and also kept off from the United Democratic Front (UDF) meeting on Friday, even as he formally extended his support to him.</p><p><br>Meanwhile, AICC general secretary <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/k-c-venugopal">K C Venugopal</a> who reached Thiruvananthapuram on Friday said that differences of opinion were quite natural and there were no factions like 'KC loyalists'. All elected members of the Congress are capable enough to be good ministers, he added.</p><p><br>On questions regarding the race to the Chief Minister post, Venugopal said, "already you have torn apart enough and I have clarified my stand".</p><p><br><strong>Cabinet seat sharing</strong></p><p>A meeting of the UDF held on Friday reportedly reached some understandings on sharing Cabinet seats and portfolios.</p><p>Since the BJP already unleashed a campaign against giving the education portfolio to the IUML, the allocation of the education portfolio is a keenly watched one.</p><p>UDF is likely to finalise the seat allocations by Sunday and the entire cabinet may swear in on Monday.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: As discussions on cabinet formation and seat-sharing in Kerala under <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/vd-satheesan">V D Satheesan </a>progress, speculation is mounting over whether senior Congress leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ramesh-chennithala">Ramesh Chennithala</a> will be included in the Cabinet and if the IUML will be allotted the education portfolio.<br></p><p>Satheesan and other senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunsi, are attempting to placate Chennithala, who is reportedly upset after missing out on the Chief Minister post.<br></p><p>Satheesan visited Chennithala at his residence on Friday, after which Chennithala told reporters that he was happy with the Congress high command’s decision to appoint Satheesan as Chief Minister. He added that it was for the party to decide whether he should be included in the Cabinet or not, and said he shared a good personal relationship with Satheesan.<br></p><p>Satheesan described Chennithala as his leader and a brother-like figure, and sought his blessings.</p> <p>It is learnt that if persuaded to join the Cabinet, Chennithala, who was a former Home Minister, may insist on retaining the Home portfolio. He is also likely to push for one of his loyalists to be appointed as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, as incumbent Sunny Joseph is expected to join the Cabinet.</p>.Veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala misses Kerala CM post again as V D Satheesan takes the crown.<p>Chennithala who lost the race to the CM post in 2011 was then made home minister in the Oommen Chandy led cabinet.</p><p><br>Chennithala had gone to Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple soon after AICC's decision to make Satheesan the Chief Minister was conveyed to him. He did not attend the Congress legislature party on Thursday and also kept off from the United Democratic Front (UDF) meeting on Friday, even as he formally extended his support to him.</p><p><br>Meanwhile, AICC general secretary <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/k-c-venugopal">K C Venugopal</a> who reached Thiruvananthapuram on Friday said that differences of opinion were quite natural and there were no factions like 'KC loyalists'. All elected members of the Congress are capable enough to be good ministers, he added.</p><p><br>On questions regarding the race to the Chief Minister post, Venugopal said, "already you have torn apart enough and I have clarified my stand".</p><p><br><strong>Cabinet seat sharing</strong></p><p>A meeting of the UDF held on Friday reportedly reached some understandings on sharing Cabinet seats and portfolios.</p><p>Since the BJP already unleashed a campaign against giving the education portfolio to the IUML, the allocation of the education portfolio is a keenly watched one.</p><p>UDF is likely to finalise the seat allocations by Sunday and the entire cabinet may swear in on Monday.</p>