Last Updated:
More than 10 days after the UDF’s sweeping victory in Kerala, the Congress is still locked in intense deliberations over its chief ministerial choice.
File photos of VD Satheesan/KC Venugopal (PTI)
More than 10 days after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stormed back to power in Kerala with a sweeping mandate, the party is still struggling to answer its biggest question, who will be the next chief minister?
With suspense continuing till the eve of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, the contest has effectively narrowed to three names, VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala.
Even on Thursday morning, signals from Delhi remained mixed.
Congress MP and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal was seen arriving at Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi, while Satheesan left for Thiruvananthapuram with his family amid cheering supporters gathered outside his Aluva residence.
Senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, meanwhile, kept a composed public face, interacting warmly with reporters outside his home.
The Congress Legislature Party meeting is scheduled for 1 pm at the KPCC headquarters, where the legislature party leader, and effectively the next chief minister, is expected to be chosen.
WHY THE DECISION HAS BECOME SO COMPLICATED
The Congress-led UDF secured more than a two-thirds majority in the Kerala Assembly election, winning 102 of 140 seats.
Yet, instead of a swift leadership announcement, the party has spent days in internal consultations, lobbying and damage control as competing camps pushed their claims.
Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior strategists have already had multiple rounds of discussions in Delhi before a final decision could be made.
The suspense has also exposed divisions within the party.
While grassroots workers and several UDF allies are believed to favour Satheesan, Venugopal’s emergence as a serious contender reportedly changed the equation in Delhi.
Chennithala, on the other hand, has continued to pitch his long administrative and organisational experience.
Against this backdrop, three broad scenarios have emerged.
SCENARIO 1: SATHEESAN EMERGES AS CONSENSUS PICK
According to multiple reports, Satheesan remains the strongest contender because of his popularity among party workers and his role in leading the Congress campaign against the ruling Left government.
News agency PTI reported that supporters gathered in large numbers outside his residence, raising slogans describing him as the “guardian of secularism” and insisting that “public opinion” favoured him.
Media reports have also pointed to backing from sections of the UDF alliance.
Kerala Congress (J) chairman PJ Joseph said allies hoped the Congress leadership would consider their views while selecting the chief minister.
Political observers quoted in some media reports have suggested that Satheesan’s elevation would signal a generational shift within the Kerala Congress.
At 61, he is seen as a relatively younger face compared to several veterans in the party and has built an image as an aggressive opposition leader against the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
His supporters have also repeatedly highlighted that he publicly predicted the UDF would cross the 100-seat mark and had tied his political future to the alliance’s performance.
SCENARIO 2: DELHI BACKS VENUGOPAL FOR ORGANISATIONAL CONTROL
The second scenario revolves around KC Venugopal, whose sudden emergence as a front-runner reportedly complicated the Congress leadership’s decision-making process.
Rahul Gandhi held a crucial meeting with Venugopal on Thursday, fuelling speculation that the high command may prefer a trusted organisational hand to lead the state government.
Multiple reports have interpreted Venugopal’s candidacy as the “Delhi choice” scenario.
As AICC general secretary (organisation), Venugopal occupies one of the most influential positions within the Congress nationally and is considered close to the central leadership.
Reports have suggested that choosing Venugopal could allow the Congress high command tighter control over Kerala’s government and party apparatus at a time when factionalism remains a major concern.
At the same time, critics within the state unit have argued, according to media reports, that Venugopal has spent years in national politics and may lack the grassroots connection currently enjoyed by Satheesan.
Still, his name has remained firmly in contention till the final hours, with television visuals showing him meeting Rahul Gandhi in Delhi even as Kerala leaders assembled for the CLP meeting.
SCENARIO 3: A COMPROMISE FORMULA WITH CHENNITHALA
The third possibility being discussed in political circles is a compromise formula centred around veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala.
PTI reported that Chennithala’s supporters continued lobbying strongly, arguing that his “long political and organisational experience” made him the natural choice.
Reports have suggested that if the Congress leadership remains divided between Satheesan and Venugopal, Chennithala could emerge as a consensus candidate acceptable to multiple factions.
Such a move, analysts quoted in various reports say, would resemble the Congress high command’s traditional approach of balancing competing camps through a compromise face.
However, other reports have indicated that Chennithala may face resistance from younger leaders and sections within the party seeking generational change after the UDF’s emphatic victory.
For now, the suspense continues.
Even as newly elected MLAs gathered in Thiruvananthapuram for the CLP meeting, the final word was still expected from Delhi.
And until the Congress high command officially announces its choice, Kerala’s biggest political question remains unresolved: Satheesan, Venugopal, or an unexpected compromise candidate?
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
