<p>New Delhi: With suspense over the next <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/kerala-india">Kerala</a> chief minister face continuing even 10 days after the announcement of assembly election results, Congress leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rahul-gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</a> on Wednesday held a final round of discussions with party chief <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/mallikarjun-kharge">Mallikarjun Kharge</a>.</p>.<p>The Congress leadership has been unable to decide on a chief ministerial face after the United Democratic Front (UDF) stormed to victory with over two-thirds majority in the just concluded elections in the state.</p>.<p>Gandhi drove down to Kharge's residence for the meeting, which lasted about 40 minutes. No official statement was issued immediately after the meeting.</p>.<p>Gandhi had previously met several leaders from Kerala and around eight former state unit chiefs to ascertain the ground situation.</p>.<p>Protests at the ground level by ordinary party workers had prompted the party leadership to hold discussions with state leaders before finalising the next chief minister.</p>.Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 | Final decision will be taken in due course: Congress over CM post.<p>The race for the state's top post started after the powerful AICC general secretary for organisation, K C Venugopal, threw his hat in the ring. He enjoys the support of a majority of Congress MLAs.</p>.<p>Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan, and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala are also staking a claim for the post.</p>.<p>Congress's allies in the UDF favour Satheesan, who also enjoys huge support from the public as well as party workers on the ground.</p>.<p>Kerala is the fourth southern state where the Congress has come to power, after it won Karnataka and Telangana and shared power in Tamil Nadu with TVK.</p>.<p>Sources said the decision could be delayed further as Sonia Gandhi was unwell and had to be taken to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for "routine check-ups".</p>.<p>The party is expected to announce its decision on the chief minister face by Wednesday night, after the conclusion of this last round of discussions.</p>
<p>New Delhi: With suspense over the next <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/kerala-india">Kerala</a> chief minister face continuing even 10 days after the announcement of assembly election results, Congress leader <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rahul-gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</a> on Wednesday held a final round of discussions with party chief <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/mallikarjun-kharge">Mallikarjun Kharge</a>.</p>.<p>The Congress leadership has been unable to decide on a chief ministerial face after the United Democratic Front (UDF) stormed to victory with over two-thirds majority in the just concluded elections in the state.</p>.<p>Gandhi drove down to Kharge's residence for the meeting, which lasted about 40 minutes. No official statement was issued immediately after the meeting.</p>.<p>Gandhi had previously met several leaders from Kerala and around eight former state unit chiefs to ascertain the ground situation.</p>.<p>Protests at the ground level by ordinary party workers had prompted the party leadership to hold discussions with state leaders before finalising the next chief minister.</p>.Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 | Final decision will be taken in due course: Congress over CM post.<p>The race for the state's top post started after the powerful AICC general secretary for organisation, K C Venugopal, threw his hat in the ring. He enjoys the support of a majority of Congress MLAs.</p>.<p>Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan, and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala are also staking a claim for the post.</p>.<p>Congress's allies in the UDF favour Satheesan, who also enjoys huge support from the public as well as party workers on the ground.</p>.<p>Kerala is the fourth southern state where the Congress has come to power, after it won Karnataka and Telangana and shared power in Tamil Nadu with TVK.</p>.<p>Sources said the decision could be delayed further as Sonia Gandhi was unwell and had to be taken to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for "routine check-ups".</p>.<p>The party is expected to announce its decision on the chief minister face by Wednesday night, after the conclusion of this last round of discussions.</p>