Kerala waits as Congress struggles to break Chief Minister deadlock

Kerala’s UDF victory has been overshadowed by uncertainty over the next chief minister, with Congress leadership unable to resolve internal factional claims among KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala. The high command is continuing consultations to avoid internal splits

Thiruvananthapuram: A week after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stormed to a spectacular victory in Kerala, the suspense over who will become the state’s next chief minister continues unabated, leaving the party trapped in an increasingly uncomfortable political limbo.

While states that went to the polls alongside Kerala have moved swiftly to complete government formation, the Congress high command remains unable to break the deadlock in Thiruvananthapuram. In West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the new chief ministers have already taken oath, while in Puducherry and Assam, leadership decisions have been formally announced.

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Kerala alone remains suspended in uncertainty, with intense lobbying and backroom negotiations continuing in New Delhi. The Congress high command, led by Mallikarjuna Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, is understood to be carefully weighing every possible political consequence before taking a final call.

Party insiders say the leadership is determined not to appear as if it is yielding to pressure tactics after factional supporters in Kerala openly mobilised protests on the streets in favour of their respective leaders. Rahul Gandhi, while interacting with Kerala leaders in Delhi, is learnt to have expressed displeasure over the deteriorating political atmosphere and the public display of factionalism. Though he attempted to lighten the mood with his now widely discussed remark, “first relax a little, after all, you have come after fighting a big war”, the underlying message from the high command was unmistakably firm that no group should expect to influence the final decision through pressure campaigns.

The three principal contenders, KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala continue to remain in contention, with none willing to step aside. KC Venugopal’s camp remains confident that the high command will eventually settle on him. Yet concerns persist within Congress over the political risks involved if Venugopal, currently an MP from Alappuzha, resigns his Lok Sabha seat to enter the Assembly, potentially triggering a difficult two by-elections.

One for Venugopal to become a legislator and the second at Alappuzha when he resigns his Lok Sabha seat. The prolonged delay has, meanwhile, emboldened the camps of Satheesan and Chennithala, both of whom believe the extra time being taken by the AICC indicates that alternative formulas, including power-sharing arrangements and senior organisational roles, are still under active consideration.

Significantly, Sonia Gandhi has not yet directly intervened in the process, despite Rahul Gandhi earlier indicating that consultations with her would be crucial before a final announcement. For now, the Congress high command appears focused on cooling tempers within the Kerala unit, preventing further indiscipline and arriving at a consensus that can keep all factions together.

Until then, even after delivering one of the UDF’s most emphatic victories in recent memory, Kerala continues to wait for its next chief minister.