THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the massive victory in the recent assembly elections that brought the Congress-led UDF to power in Kerala, the party has started the process of deciding on the chief minister. The two central observers appointed by the AICC, Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken, arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday to gather the opinions of individual legislators. AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunshi, told reporters that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting will be held tomorrow at the PCC headquarters, Indira Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. The AICC leaders will meet with MLAs, senior party officials, and leaders of UDF allies. After collecting their views, the observers will submit a detailed report to the High Command, which will make the final decision on the next chief minister.
If everything goes as planned, the party leadership aims to hold the swearing-in ceremony by May 10. The three frontrunners for the chief minister’s post are Opposition Leader V D Satheeshan, veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala, and AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. V D Satheeshan received a warm reception in Kochi for the second day in a row, traveling in an open jeep as workers greeted him. “I have done my job. I kept my promise to Sonia ji and Rahul ji to bring the UDF back to power with a thumping victory. From 41 seats in 2021, the number has now risen to 110. We have received a massive mandate from the people of Kerala, and now it’s time to serve them,” he told reporters. The Satheeshan camp remains hopeful of him being elected as CLP leader. As UDF chairman and opposition leader, he has led the front to consecutive victories since 2021, from assembly by-elections to Lok Sabha polls, local body elections, and now the assembly elections. Opinion polls have also indicated that he is the top choice for the chief minister’s post from the UDF.
He is reportedly backed by major allies like the Muslim League, which has 22 MLAs in the assembly.
Many believe AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal stands a strong chance, given the number of MLAs backing him. His supporters claim that nearly 50 of the 63 Congress MLAs are in his favor.
Venugopal’s proximity to the central leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi, is also seen as an added advantage. However, most MLAs remain tight-lipped about their choice and plan to reveal it only to the central observers.
Veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala is also making a strong bid for the chief minister’s post, drawing on his extensive experience in both party organization and ministerial roles. He met Rahul Gandhi and other leaders in Delhi on Wednesday. “I met the AICC leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, for an entirely different matter—to finalize the DCC presidents in Maharashtra. Along with Rahul, Venugopal and other leaders were present. Rahul congratulated the people of Kerala for giving such a huge mandate to the UDF,” Chennithala said, adding that the CLP issue was not discussed in the meeting. When asked about the flex boards and receptions in favor of Satheeshan, Chennithala remarked, “The CLP leader is not decided on social media or through posters. There is a set procedure, and the AICC will follow it.”
Despite the three front-runners, many in the party and the UDF want the central leadership to decide quickly, putting an end to all speculation and honouring the people’s verdict.
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