The announcement of the next Kerala Chief Minister nominee is expected either late on Tuesday night or by Wednesday morning, former Kerala Congress chief K Muraleedharan said after meeting senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been holding a series of one-on-one discussions with leaders from the state to resolve the leadership deadlock.
The consultations were held at Sonia Gandhi’s residence at 10, Janpath in New Delhi, where multiple senior leaders from Kerala Congress were invited for deliberations aimed at finalising the next Chief Minister.
Muraleedharan told reporters that a final decision is imminent; stating that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to return from Bengaluru in the evening, after which another round of discussions will be held. He added that the leadership will also consult Sonia Gandhi before formally announcing the decision.
“After Kharge ji returns, one more discussion will take place and they will also speak to Madam (Sonia Gandhi). The decision will be announced either tonight or tomorrow morning,” Muraleedharan said.
The main contenders for the Chief Minister’s post remain senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan, and AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal.
Also read: Kerala CM selection: Cong divided on UDF coalition partners' role
Several senior Kerala leaders participated in the meetings with Rahul Gandhi, including former KPCC presidents M M Hassan, K Sudhakaran, and Muraleedharan himself. Others present included Kerala Congress Disciplinary Committee chair Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, along with working presidents Shafi Parambil, A P Anil Kumar, and P C Vishnunath.
Another former KPCC president, V M Sudheeran, is scheduled to meet Rahul Gandhi later in the day, while veteran leader Mullappally Ramachandran is expected to share his views over a phone conversation as he is unable to travel to Delhi.
The leadership decision has been pending since May 4, after the Congress-led United Democratic Front secured a decisive victory in Kerala by winning 102 of the 140 Assembly seats, securing a two-thirds majority in the state.
The central leadership has been engaged in extensive consultations to break the deadlock. Earlier, party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik had interacted with elected MLAs to gather their opinions. Following this, the high command held further discussions with the three leading contenders and KPCC president Sunny Joseph.
Muraleedharan had earlier emphasised that the selection of the Chief Minister would not be based solely on the views of MLAs. He said the opinions of United Democratic Front allies as well as public sentiment would also be considered before arriving at a final decision.
The Congress holds 63 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, while its key allies include the Indian Union Muslim League with 22 seats, the Kerala Congress (KEC) with eight, and the Revolutionary Socialist Party with three seats.
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