Central Leaders Begun Discussions In Delhi, Supporters Rally Behind Front Runners In Kerala
Venugopal had played a key role in distributing tickets during the election committee meeting in Delhi: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the massive victory of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, discussions kicked off in Delhi about who will be Chief Minister. The focus is on three main contenders: Opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan, veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala, and general secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Satheeshan is leaning on his strong track record over the past five years, which includes back-to-back wins in Assembly byelections, Lok Sabha polls, local body elections, and the recent state elections.
On Tuesday evening, Satheeshan received a warm welcome at Ernakulam railway station after arriving from Thiruvananthapuram. He was taken in an open jeep through the city’s main thoroughfares, a sign that his supporters already see him as the front-runner. He’s also counting on key backing from allies like the Indian Union Muslim League, which holds 22 MLAs.
K.C. Venugopal, who arrived in Delhi after Monday’s counting, received a warm welcome from party workers in the national capital. Large flex boards with his portraits were displayed in front of the Congress headquarters, with slogans suggesting that the architect of the victory should be duly recognised. Sources say Venugopal’s camp was claiming the support of 50 out of the 63 Congress MLAs.
Venugopal had played a key role in distributing tickets during the election committee meeting in Delhi, reportedly succeeding in securing tickets for many of his supporters. Some leaders in Kerala are also eager to see Venugopal head the government.
Former PCC president K. Sudhakaran, who is not on good terms with Satheeshan, met K. Muraleedharan, K. Karunakaran’s son and newly elected MLA, in Thiruvananthapuram to seek support for the AICC general secretary.
Meanwhile, Ramesh Chennithala is relying on his extensive experience in government and organisational roles, and in a local TV interview, he claimed the backing of a significant number of MLAs.
Senior party leaders, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, have started discussions on the leadership issue in Kerala, with Rahul Gandhi and other prominent figures reportedly joining the meeting. Congress central observers are expected to arrive in Kerala on Wednesday to hold one-on-one meetings with party MLAs and gather their views on the Chief Minister. Local Congress leaders said that, given the strong mandate from the people, the leadership will make a decision as soon as possible.
