Congress power play peaks in Kerala, CM pick by Sunday | India News
Thiruvananthapuram: The race to pick the Congress MLA chief in Kerala entered a crucial stretch on Wednesday as AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik arrived in the state to hear the newly elected MLAs. Senior state officials have been asked to remain in New Delhi after Thursday’s meeting, with the high command aiming to seal the choice by Sunday. The three contestants – KC Venugopal, VD Sathisan and Ramesh Chennithala – have stepped up lobbying across the 63-member Congress bloc. Rival camps campaigned competing claims of support, with Venugopal’s side having 43 MLAs, while the Satisan and Chennithala parties estimated 35 and 22 respectively. Chennithala traveled to New Delhi and met senior Congress politicians including Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharg.
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The visit was officially linked to organizational work in Maharashtra, but party sources said he was pressing his claim for the chief minister’s post. A parallel push for Satisan came through coordinated messages and emails to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, reflecting the intensity of the internal rivalry despite the Congress-led UDF’s push for 103 seats in the 140-member House. Congress brass refused to do an official headcount. Instead, the observers will hold one-on-one discussions with legislators ahead of the legislative team meeting at KPCC headquarters at 10.30 am on Thursday. The CLP is expected to pass a resolution authorizing the party president to make the final decision. Fault lines appear. The Satisan camp has objected to the role of state in-charge AICC general secretary Deepa Dashmunsi, alleging bias towards Venugopal and opposing her involvement in legislative consultations. For the Congress, managing the political fallout is a central concern, fearing a grassroots backlash if the final pick cuts against expectations among key parties.
