<p>Among the three contenders to the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Kerala">Kerala</a> Chief Minister post, Ramesh Chennithala was undisputedly having more seniority and experience than K C Venugopal and V D Satheesan.</p><p>Chennithala, who is a six time MLA from Haripad, is learnt to be upset over the decision of AICC to make Satheesan the Chief Minister. He may also keep off from the Congress legislature party meeting.</p><p>The 69 year old leader still holds the record of being the youngest minister in Kerala. At the age of around 30 Chennithala became a minister in the 1986 K Karunakaran ministry. He had also served as home minister from 2014 to 2016 in the Oommen Chandy government and as opposition leader from 2016 to 2021.</p><p>Chennithala earlier missed the Chief Minister post between the cup and the lip. Had the Congress-led United Democratic Front won the 2021 Kerala assembly election, Chennithala, who was then leading the front, could have emerged as the natural choice to the Chief Minister post.</p><p>After the UDF won the assembly elections in 2011, the state had witnessed a race between senior leader Oommen Chandy and Chennithala, who was the then Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president. Chandy, who was senior and enjoyed more support from coalition parties, won the race.</p><p>Chennithala had recently said that he himself then nominated Chandy to the CM post in view of his seniority. Chennithala served as home minister in Chandy's cabinet.</p>.Public support outweighs seniority: V D Satheesan emerges winner in Kerala CM race.<p>A native of Alappuzha in Kerala, Chennithala is a four time MP from Kottayam and Mavelikara constituencies, six time MLA from Haripad, former Kerala PCC president and permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. He had also held various posts in the AICC, including charge of many states. </p><p>He also enjoys good rapport with senior AICC senior leaders, including the Nehru family members.</p><p>Born to Ramakrishnan Nair and Devaki Amma on May 25, 1956, Chennithala did graduation and completed LL.B course. He entered politics during his student days and served as Kerala Students Union state president and general secretary. He had also served as Youth Congress national general secretary. He was first elected to the assembly in 1982 at the age of 26.</p>
<p>Among the three contenders to the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Kerala">Kerala</a> Chief Minister post, Ramesh Chennithala was undisputedly having more seniority and experience than K C Venugopal and V D Satheesan.</p><p>Chennithala, who is a six time MLA from Haripad, is learnt to be upset over the decision of AICC to make Satheesan the Chief Minister. He may also keep off from the Congress legislature party meeting.</p><p>The 69 year old leader still holds the record of being the youngest minister in Kerala. At the age of around 30 Chennithala became a minister in the 1986 K Karunakaran ministry. He had also served as home minister from 2014 to 2016 in the Oommen Chandy government and as opposition leader from 2016 to 2021.</p><p>Chennithala earlier missed the Chief Minister post between the cup and the lip. Had the Congress-led United Democratic Front won the 2021 Kerala assembly election, Chennithala, who was then leading the front, could have emerged as the natural choice to the Chief Minister post.</p><p>After the UDF won the assembly elections in 2011, the state had witnessed a race between senior leader Oommen Chandy and Chennithala, who was the then Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president. Chandy, who was senior and enjoyed more support from coalition parties, won the race.</p><p>Chennithala had recently said that he himself then nominated Chandy to the CM post in view of his seniority. Chennithala served as home minister in Chandy's cabinet.</p>.Public support outweighs seniority: V D Satheesan emerges winner in Kerala CM race.<p>A native of Alappuzha in Kerala, Chennithala is a four time MP from Kottayam and Mavelikara constituencies, six time MLA from Haripad, former Kerala PCC president and permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. He had also held various posts in the AICC, including charge of many states. </p><p>He also enjoys good rapport with senior AICC senior leaders, including the Nehru family members.</p><p>Born to Ramakrishnan Nair and Devaki Amma on May 25, 1956, Chennithala did graduation and completed LL.B course. He entered politics during his student days and served as Kerala Students Union state president and general secretary. He had also served as Youth Congress national general secretary. He was first elected to the assembly in 1982 at the age of 26.</p>