VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala: Who is going to be Kerala's next CM?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Election won. Succession unsettled. Congress brass moved into overdrive Tuesday to prime Kerala's adjacent CM, with aggravated lobbying breaking retired crossed factions aft the party-led UDF's emphatic victory, reports Rajiv G.

The determination rests with LS absorption person Rahul Gandhi, but consultations could agelong up to a week, according to sources.Three names anchor the contest. Leader of absorption VD Satheesan, who steered UDF done 5 years successful the wilderness to a landslide, is seen arsenic frontrunner. AICC wide caput KC Venugopal, a Rahul aide, is mobilising support. Ramesh Chennithala is the 3rd choice.Ramesh Chennithala, aformer absorption faceand multiple-term legislator, is pressing his lawsuit onexperience and seniority.Satheesan has the supportof Indian Union MuslimLeague (22 seats), strengthening his transportation arsenic the consensusface.Chennithala has said seniority indispensable measurement heavy inthe choice. Venugopal’s campclaimed a sizeable bloc ofMLAs and MPs is successful its corner.Congress, with 63 seats inthe 140-member assembly, isthe largest enactment successful UDF thatunseated CPM-led LDF’s twoterm govt. UDF won 102 seats,while LDF managed 35. Thechallenge present is politicalarithmetic wrong Congress— balancing claims, preventing fissures and ensuring asmooth swearing-in.

Congress brass has kept options open, focusing connected consensus. A gathering chaired byparty president MallikarjunKharge, with Rahul present, isset to name AICC observers.Pressure is gathering for aquick call. Party insiderswarned that picking a compromise sanction extracurricular themain contenders could trigger a backlash, with bothSatheesan and Chennithalacamps improbable to judge a diminished relation successful furniture enactment nether specified a scenario.AICC wide secretaryJairam Ramesh said a determination would travel soon amid efforts to forge unanimity.The triangular contention hasdeepened responsibility lines. Venugopal’s backers cited organisational heft and cardinal backing. Satheesan’s campy mentioned nationalist acceptabilityand his relation successful the victory.Chennithala has remindedCongress that Satheesan’s elevation arsenic absorption person in2021 went against prevailingsentiment, underlining thecentral relation successful leadershipcalls.

Congress said allies’views volition beryllium heard but it isunder nary compulsion to yieldground, fixed its numbers.