As the Congress leadership continues to delay its decision on Kerala’s next chief minister, intense lobbying and factional alignments within the party
have come to the forefront, exposing a deepening divide inside the United Democratic Front (UDF). With the suspense dragging on despite the UDF’s emphatic victory in the Kerala Assembly election, pressure is mounting on the Congress high command to resolve the leadership tussle before internal unrest spills further into the public domain. The situation has become politically sensitive enough for senior leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to step in directly and hold consultations with veteran Kerala Congress figures in Delhi. Three leaders have emerged as the principal contenders for the chief minister’s post - KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala. While Venugopal is believed to enjoy strong backing from the Congress high command and a majority of newly elected MLAs, Satheesan continues to command significant support among grassroots workers in Kerala, with sources indicating that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also supportive of his candidature.
Who Is Supporting Whom?
Former KPCC Presidents
- MM Hassan - Supporting KC Venugopal
- K Sudhakaran - Supporting KC Venugopal
- K Muraleedharan - Supporting VD Satheesan
Senior Party Functionaries
- Thiruvanjoor Radhakrishnan - Supporting KC Venugopal
Working Presidents
- Shafi Parambil - Supporting KC Venugopal
- PC Vishnunadh - Supporting KC Venugopal
- AP Anil Kumar - Supporting KC Venugopal
The Congress high command has now initiated consultations with former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee presidents, including VM Sudheeran and Mullappally Ramachandran, in an effort to break the deadlock. Veteran leader AK Antony is also expected to play a crucial advisory role in the process.
The prolonged delay has already triggered visible friction within the party. Demonstrations, poster wars and open lobbying by supporters of Venugopal and Satheesan have erupted across Kerala over the past week. Some party leaders privately believe that the aggressive public campaign favouring Satheesan may have complicated his chances, prompting the leadership to wait for tempers to cool before making an announcement.
Congress observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik had earlier met newly elected MLAs individually to assess their preference for the chief ministerial post. According to party sources, a majority of Congress MLAs reportedly expressed support for Venugopal.
The UDF secured a commanding mandate in the 140-member Kerala Assembly with 102 seats. The Congress won 63 seats, while allies including the Indian Union Muslim League secured 22 seats, Kerala Congress (KEC) won eight and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) claimed three. Despite the decisive victory, the unresolved leadership question now threatens to overshadow the alliance’s moment of political triumph.
