Satheesan, Venugopal And Chennithala Emerge As Main Contenders
Internal differences within the Indian National Congress have reportedly intensified over the selection of the next Chief Minister of Kerala, with multiple factions lobbying for their preferred candidates following the United Democratic Front’s decisive Assembly election victory.
Sources within the party indicate that senior Congress leader VD Satheesan may choose not to join the new Cabinet if AICC general secretary KC Venugopal is eventually selected for the top post.
The Congress high command is yet to announce its final decision despite days of consultations with senior state and national leaders.
UDF Victory Followed By Leadership Uncertainty
The Congress-led United Democratic Front secured a commanding victory in the Kerala Assembly elections by winning 102 seats in the 140-member House. However, the alliance’s chief ministerial face remains undecided more than a week after the results.
Apart from Venugopal and Satheesan, veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala is also considered a strong contender for the position.
Party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik held discussions with MLAs in Kerala and later briefed the central leadership after gathering feedback from elected legislators.
Debate Over By-Elections Adds To Tensions
According to party insiders, the Satheesan camp has raised concerns over the political implications of choosing Venugopal as Chief Minister.
Since Venugopal is currently a Member of Parliament representing Alappuzha, his appointment would require him to contest an Assembly by-election while also triggering a Lok Sabha bypoll in his parliamentary constituency.
Leaders supporting Satheesan reportedly believe facing two by-elections shortly after forming the government could create avoidable political challenges for the alliance.
Venugopal Camp Claims Majority Support
Supporters of Venugopal, however, maintain that he has broad backing among Congress legislators and MPs from Kerala.
They describe him as an experienced organisational strategist capable of handling electoral challenges and maintaining coordination within the alliance.
Party insiders also say Venugopal’s proximity to the central leadership could help strengthen communication between the state government and the Congress high command.
Chennithala Camp Pushes Seniority Argument
Meanwhile, leaders aligned with Chennithala are emphasizing his long political experience and loyalty to the party leadership during difficult periods.
Supporters argue that his organisational background and seniority make him a natural choice to lead the government at a crucial political moment for the Congress in Kerala.
The United Democratic Front currently holds a comfortable majority in the Assembly, with Congress winning 63 seats while allies including the Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress and Revolutionary Socialist Party contributing to the coalition’s tally.
The final decision on Kerala’s next Chief Minister is expected after further discussions between the Congress leadership and alliance partners.
