Congress High Command summons Kerala leaders to Delhi, Kharge, Rahul seek consensus
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Congress High Command looking to build a broader consensus on the leadership issue in Kerala, senior party leaders, including former PCC presidents, have been called to Delhi on Tuesday for wide-ranging discussions.
Sources say Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi want to hear from senior leaders who have guided the party in Kerala for decades before making a final decision. Former PCC presidents K Sudhakaran, K Muraleedharan, M M Hassan, V M Sudheeran, and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan are heading to Delhi to meet with the high command.
“I got the intimation today and will take an early morning flight tomorrow to attend the discussion, likely at 10 am. I’ve already shared my opinion with the central observers when they were in Thiruvananthapuram. I believe the High Command wants to make this decision in a democratic way,” said former PCC president K Muraleedharan.
“There’s no denying that the victory in the assembly elections was the result of the hard work put in by Team UDF. I’ll share my observations if the central leadership seeks my opinion on specific matters. The people have given a massive mandate to the Congress-UDF, and we will make an appropriate decision at the right time,” said V M Sudheeran, former PCC president.
Reports from Delhi indicate that AICC general secretary K C Venugopal is the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post. Most MLAs are backing him, and he also enjoys the support of leaders like K Sudhakaran.
Opposition Leader V D Satheeshan, who steered the UDF to victory in most of the by-elections, Lok Sabha polls, local body polls, and now the assembly elections, is a strong contender for the post. Although he lacks the required support from MLAs, key allies like the Muslim League are backing him. Ramesh Chennithala, the third aspirant, is banking on his seniority and extensive experience to secure the top position.
It’s reported that discussions took place between Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday night, and there are signs that the top leadership will also consult Sonia Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi, an MP from Kerala, has also been included in the discussions on the CM issue. If all goes as planned, the announcement of the new CM could be made on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.
A final decision is yet to be made on whether the announcement will take place in Delhi or Thiruvananthapuram. If the central leadership chooses Thiruvananthapuram, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will be reconvened to formally elect the leader, after which the central leaders will make the announcement. The post of deputy chief minister is also being kept open as a compromise to appease leaders in case of a major deadlock.
