Youth Congress Leader O J Janeesh Appointed Minister in Kerala
Thrissur: Youth Congress state president O J Janeesh, who has been selected as a minister in the V D Satheesan cabinet, on Sunday said his selection was a recognition of the agitations by Youth Congress workers against the LDF government. The Kodungallur MLA-elect stated, "This is a recognition for thousands of Youth Congress workers, who launched intense agitations against the evil deeds of the outgoing Pinarayi government and endured unparalleled tortures in the last ten years."
Janeesh emphasized that he is merely a representative of those workers and his selection as minister will inspire many more to fight against anti-people policies of regimes in office in the future. "Agitations by Youth Congress workers had a major contribution in bringing down the Pinarayi regime," he told TOI.
In his debut to the assembly, Janeesh defeated sitting MLA Sunilkumar of CPI with a margin of 8,000 votes. Expressing his feelings on being selected as a minister, he said, "I feel extremely happy. There were certainly hopes that the sacrifices of Youth Congress workers, including me, will not go unrecognised."
Reacting to reports that he was a last-minute selection, Janeesh clarified that discussions had taken place earlier but he preferred to keep a low profile. There were earlier reports that Thrissur was unlikely to get a cabinet berth in the Satheesan government considering the front's poor performance in the district, where the UDF managed only four seats while the LDF won nine.
DCC president Joseph Tajet said Janeesh's selection was also a recognition for the party district unit and his induction into the cabinet will contribute to the district's all-round development. Interestingly, Thrissurites can claim to have two ministers in the new cabinet, as another minister-designate K A Thulasi hails from Kondazhi in the district, though she was elected from Kongad in Palakkad.
