The contest to select the Congress legislature party (CLP) chief in Kerala entered a decisive phase on Wednesday as AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik arrived in the state to hold one-on-one consultations with the newly elected MLAs.
High Command Aims to Finalize Choice by Sunday
Senior state functionaries have been instructed to remain in New Delhi after Thursday's meeting, as the party high command aims to finalize the selection by Sunday. Three contenders—KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan, and Ramesh Chennithala—have intensified their lobbying efforts across the 63-member Congress legislative bloc. Rival camps have circulated competing claims of support, with Venugopal's faction claiming the backing of 43 MLAs, while Satheesan and Chennithala's camps project 35 and 22 MLAs, respectively.
Chennithala Presses His Claim
Ramesh Chennithala traveled to New Delhi and met with senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. Although the visit was officially linked to organizational work in Maharashtra, party sources confirmed that Chennithala pressed his claim for the chief minister's post. Meanwhile, a parallel campaign for Satheesan gained momentum, with coordinated messages and emails reaching Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, reflecting the intensity of the internal contest despite the Congress-led UDF's landslide victory of 103 seats in the 140-member assembly.
No Formal Headcount; Observers to Conduct Consultations
The Congress brass has indicated it is disinclined to hold a formal headcount. Instead, the observers will conduct one-to-one consultations with MLAs before the legislature party meeting at 10:30 am on Thursday at the KPCC headquarters. The CLP is expected to pass a resolution authorizing the party president to make the final decision. Fault lines have already emerged, with the Satheesan camp objecting to the role of AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunshi, alleging bias toward Venugopal and opposing her involvement in the MLA consultations.
Managing Political Fallout a Key Concern
For the Congress party, managing the political fallout is a central concern. There are fears of grassroots backlash if the final pick cuts against expectations within key factions. The high command is treading carefully to avoid internal discord that could undermine the party's recent electoral success in the state.
About the Author: Rajiv G is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Times of India, bringing over two decades of journalistic experience and editorial expertise to the newsroom. He began his career in 1998 with The Indian Express in Coimbatore before moving to Deccan Chronicle in Hyderabad, The New Indian Express in Hyderabad and Bangalore, and later in Kerala, where he spent a decade covering some of the most defining stories. Since joining The Times of India in 2011, Rajiv has been at the forefront of reporting on Kerala's health and political landscape. His sustained coverage of the health sector since 2005 has contributed to public awareness and policy discourse, while his political reporting since 2008 has provided readers with sharp, well-informed perspectives. His work has been widely recognized, earning him honors from the Indian Medical Association, the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association, and the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association. He was also conferred the Best Reporter Award by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, where he has held leadership roles as Secretary and President.
