Rahul Gandhi meets Mallikarjun Kharge for final discussion to pick Kerala CM

New Delhi: With suspense over the next Kerala chief minister face continuing even 10 days after the announcement of assembly election results, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a final round of discussions with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

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.

Gandhi drove down to Kharge's residence for the meeting, which lasted about 40 minutes. No official statement was issued immediately after the meeting.

Gandhi had previously met several leaders from Kerala and around eight former state unit chiefs to ascertain the ground situation.

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.

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.

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.

Congress's allies in the UDF favour Satheesan, who also enjoys huge support from the public as well as party workers on the ground.

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.

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".

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.