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Rahul Gandhi met with several party leaders from Kerala, including ex-state unit chiefs, working presidents and other key leaders. Most of them chose KC Venugopal as the next CM.
Congress MP KC Venugopal. (Image: ANI)
The race for the Kerala Chief Minister’s position has narrowed down to only three leaders in the fray. However, KC Venugopal’s chances received a major boost after the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, held a key meeting with several party leaders.
Gandhi met several party leaders from Kerala, including ex-state unit chiefs, working presidents and other key leaders, at Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence. Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs M M Hassan, K Sudhakaran and Muraleedharan, Kerala Congress Disciplinary Committee head Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, as well as working presidents Shafi Parambil, A P Anil Kumar and P C Vishunath, attended the meeting.
Out of five former presidents of the Kerala Congress and three KPCC working presidents, seven of them have supported Venugopal as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, according to the Hindustan Times.
ALSO READ: Why K C Venugopal’s Elevation As Kerala Chief Minister May Lead To Two Bypolls
Another contender, VD Satheesan, received the backing of two leaders, while one preferred to remain neutral. Senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala’s name seems to have gone out of contention after he failed to receive support.
The delay in selecting the Chief Minister triggered intense political stir within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Keralam, with supporters of the top three contenders voicing support for their preferred leaders through protests, posters, and demonstrations in the national capital.
During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi reportedly expressed concern about the road shows and displays of strength by warring factions within the Kerala Congress.
When Will The CM Be Announced?
After the meeting, former Kerala Congress chief K Muraleedharan said the nominee would be announced either by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. “(Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge ji is coming back from Bengaluru only in the evening. So after he is back, one more discussion will take place and they will talk to Madam (Sonia Gandhi) also. Then, the decision will come tonight or tomorrow morning,” he told reporters.
The party’s central leadership is holding wider consultations as the uncertainty continues, even after party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik met Congress MLAs and gathered their views, following which the leadership held discussions with the three main contenders for the post and KPCC president Sunny Joseph.
The Congress-led UDF bagged a commanding 102 out of 140 Assembly seats, marking a historic comeback after a decade. The Left Democratic Front, on the other hand, secured just 35 seats.
Following the delay, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress for the delay in naming a Chief Minister in Kerala, alleging that Congress governments remain preoccupied with internal disputes and power struggles instead of governance. The Congress hit back at the remark, saying the party follows a democratic consultation process.
(with inputs from agencies)
Thiruvananthapuram, India, India
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