THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hours after a public discussion started over prospects of senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala becoming the future CM candidate of the UDF, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has come out with an open statement that in Congress there are no CM candidates. Satheesan was responding to reporters’ queries on Thursday.

It was on Wednesday at a reception meeting organised to honour industrialist Ravi Pillai that the person who addressed the gathering greeted Ramesh Chennithala and hailed him as the future chief minister.

He further went on to ask whether V D Satheesan was present at the venue, and quickly added that he did not want to speak politics. The remarks were made in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Later addressing the gathering, Pinarayi Vijayan remarked that the statement would create major issues in the Congress.

Taking a dig at the Congress, he jokingly told the person who delivered the welcome address that such a deceit should not have been committed. Chennithala, who was also present at the function, was seen enjoying all the developments.

“In Congress there is a method for selecting the chief minister,” Satheesan said. “The CM should not interfere in Congress’ internal politics. In Congress there are no CM candidates including me. This is a national party. We will decide the CM when the time arrives. It will be decided by the national leadership and the elected MLAs. Before that there is no CM candidate,” he said.