Ten days after a decisive electoral victory, the Congress party is finally set to name Kerala's next Chief Minister on Thursday, ending a prolonged and bruising internal standoff that has threatened to revive the factionalism for which the party is historically notorious in the state.
Congress general secretary in charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh, told reporters gathered outside party president Mallikarjun Kharge's official residence in Delhi, "The decision on who the Chief Minister of Kerala would be will be declared on Thursday."
His statement came after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi held a 45-minute one-on-one meeting with Kharge.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had registered a clear and historic victory in the Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 out of 140 seats — marking a major comeback after a decade in opposition.
The results also reflected a strong anti-incumbency wave against the ruling Left Democratic Front, which was reduced to just 35 seats. Yet the internal contest over who would lead the new government quickly overshadowed the triumph.
The race has effectively narrowed to two men. VD Satheesan, who served as a strong Leader of the Opposition for five years and is widely seen as the face of the election campaign, has reportedly taken a firm stand — CM post or nothing, refusing any ministerial role or compromise.
On the other side, KC Venugopal, the AICC General Secretary and MP from Alappuzha, is backed by the Congress high command and reportedly by 47 out of 63 elected Congress legislators.
On Wednesday, Posters emerge near Wayanad district Congress office warning Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of losing further polls if KC Venugopal is nominated for Kerala CM post.
The battle spilled onto the streets too, with Satheesan supporters holding marches and rallies across Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Alappuzha, shouting slogans like "Only VD", while flex boards backing Venugopal were torn down in some areas and one party worker in Kottayam attempted self-immolation.
State Congress president Sunny Joseph also said: "We expect the Chief Minister's name to be announced today."
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