Impasse ends on Kerala CM: Congress to announce its pick on May 14

New Delhi: Kerala will have to wait for one more day to know who its new Chief Minister will be with the Congress saying all discussions have been completed but pushed the announcement to Thursday.

The decision to announce the name a day later came soon after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a final round of discussion here on Wednesday evening.

“As authorised by the members of the Congress Legislature Party in Kerala, the High Command of the Congress has completed all discussions. The decision on who will be the next Chief Minister of Kerala will be announced tomorrow (Thursday),” Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh told reporters after the 40-minute meeting.

It was not immediately clear why the announcement has been delayed to Thursday even as the High Command has come to a conclusion on the name for the top post in the state for which there are three contenders – KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala.

While the leadership had held discussions with the three contenders on Saturday, a decision had eluded then following which Rahul held deliberations with Working Presidents and former Kerala state presidents, a majority of whom supported Venugopal, who is favoured by majority of MLAs.

However, sources claimed AK Antony, K Muralidharan and VM Sudheeran have supported Satheesan, who has managed to get public support. Reports from Kerala suggested that Antony told the central leadership that it is better to avoid bypolls in Kerala. Venugopal is a Lok Sabha MP and choosing him would mean bypolls to Assembly and his Lok Sabha seat.

A large number of supporters had gathered at Satheesan’s residence in Ernakulam’s Aluva in Kerala anticipating an announcement in his favour but were asked by his aides to disperse saying a decision would be announced only on Thursday morning.

There have been claims and counter-claims by the camps of both Venugopal and Satheesan about the chances of their leaders while Chennithala camp is hopeful that he may be benefitted in the fight between the other two.

In Wayanad, some posters also emerged against Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, assuming that they are supporting Venugopal, who is also the General Secretary (Organisation).