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Both leaders are among the frontrunners staking claim for the top post, intensifying the internal contest within the party.
Supporters gather at Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala’s residence. (Screengrab)
Supporters gathered in large numbers outside VD Satheesan’s office in Paravur on Wednesday, while similar scenes were reported outside Ramesh Chennithala’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram, as the Congress moved closer to announcing its Kerala chief ministerial candidate.
Both leaders are among the frontrunners staking claim for the top post, intensifying the internal contest within the party.
VIDEO | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Supporters gather at Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala’s residence as the party high command prepares to announce its decision on the Kerala Chief Minister. pic.twitter.com/0sJJQlSLlz— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 13, 2026
Several supporting MLAs were also among those gathered outside the residences of the two senior Congress leaders. Visuals from the locations showed large crowds assembled in support of both leaders.
#WATCH | Kochi, Keralam | Supporters of Congress winning candidate from Paravur assembly constituency, VD Satheesan, gather at his residence in Kochi as meetings of Congress High Command are underway in Delhi to decide the Keralam CM face. pic.twitter.com/a2RdR28ebL— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2026
The show of support comes amid continuing uncertainty over the Congress’s chief ministerial pick, even 10 days after the United Democratic Front’s decisive victory in the Kerala assembly elections. The leadership has so far failed to finalise a name, despite holding multiple rounds of consultations.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a final round of discussions with party president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi, a meeting that lasted around 40 minutes. No official announcement was made after the talks, but party sources indicated that a decision could be taken by Wednesday night.
The race has narrowed to several key contenders, including Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, who is believed to have significant backing from a section of MLAs.
Grassroots pressure from party workers has also played a role in delaying the decision, with supporters of different leaders openly mobilising in their favour across Kerala. Allies within the UDF are reportedly backing Satheesan, who also enjoys strong support among cadres on the ground.
The Congress high command has been holding back-to-back consultations with state leaders and former state unit chiefs to assess the political situation before making a final call on who will lead the new government.
(With inputs from PTI)
Kerala, India, India
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