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The suspense over the party's pick is expected to end 10 days after the results of the assembly elections were declared. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had won over two-thirds majority in the Kerala Assembly polls.
New Delhi, May 09 (ANI): Kerala legislative assembly LoP V D Satheesan with Kerala Congress President Sunny Joseph, Kerala AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunsi, party General Secretary K C Venugopal and Congress senior leader Ramesh Chennithala leave from the party President Mallikarjun Kharge's residence after the Kerala Congress meeting, in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo)(ANI Photo )The Congress party will announce its chief ministerial pick in Kerala today, 14 May, possibly ending days of suspense, intense lobbying and marathon discussions.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting is scheduled to be held at the KPCC headquarters on Thursday afternoon to elect its leader, KPCC chief Sunny Joseph said in a statement on Wednesday that the meeting will be held at 1 pm today.
After an almost 40-minute meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter's residence on Wednesday, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the decision on the next Kerala chief minister will be announced today (14 May) as the party high command has completed all discussions in this regard.
The suspense over the party's pick is expected to end 10 days after the results of the assembly elections were declared. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had won over two-thirds majority in the Kerala Assembly polls.
"As authorised by the members of the CLP in Kerala, the high command of the Congress has completed all discussions, and the decision on who the next chief minister of Kerala will be announced tomorrow," Ramesh told reporters in the national capital.
Satheesan or Venugopal? Who will be Kerala CM
The results were announced on 10 May. The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly. But the Congress party has since been engaged in prolonged consultations over the leadership issue amid lobbying by different camps and protests by workers at the ground level.
The term of outgoing Kerala assembly expires on 23 May.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala are among the prominent names being considered for the post.
Congress' allies in the UDF favour Satheesan, who also enjoys huge support among the public as well as party workers on the ground. However, with the powerful AICC general secretary Venugopal throwing his hat in the ring, the choice has not been easy for the party high command.
On 12 May, Rahul Gandhi, met former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs amid uncertainty over who will be the chief minister of Kerala.
At least seven of the ten leaders present in the meeting backed KC Venugopal as the next Kerala CM, according to a report in Hindustan Times. VD Sateeshan, received the backing of two of the ten leaders, while one remained neutral.
Posters target Rahul, Priyanka in Wayanad
The delay in naming the Chief Minister has also triggered criticism and visible discontent among Congress supporters in parts of the state, especially in Wayanad, where posters targeting Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the party high command appeared near the District Congress Committee office.
Rahul Gandhi had held separate discussions with several Kerala leaders and former state Congress chiefs in recent days to assess the political situation before the high command moved towards a final decision.
As authorized by the members of the CLP in Kerala, the high command of the Congress has completed all discussions, and the decision on who the next chief minister of Kerala will be announced tomorrow.
Kerala is the fourth southern state where the Congress will be in power. It has governments in Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh besides recently joining hands with the ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu.
(With agency inputs)
Key Takeaways
- The Congress party won majority in the Kerala Assembly elections, highlighting its strong position in the state.
- Intense lobbying and discussions within the party reflect the complexities of leadership selection in political parties.
- The delay in naming the Chief Minister has resulted in discontent among party supporters, indicating the importance of timely decision-making.
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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