Congress power play peaks in Kerala, CM pick by Sunday

THIRUVANANTHAMPURAM: The contest to pick Congress legislature party chief in Kerala entered a decisive stretch Wednesday as AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik reached the state to sound out newly elected MLAs. Senior state functionaries have been asked to be in New Delhi after Thursday’s meeting, with the high command aiming to seal the choice by Sunday. Three contenders — KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala — have stepped up lobbying across 63-member Congress bloc. Rival camps circulated competing claims of support, with Venugopal’s side pegging its numbers at 43 MLAs, while Satheesan and Chennithala factions projected 35 and 22, respectively. Chennithala travelled to New Delhi and met senior Congress politicians, including Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. The visit was officially linked to organisational work in Maharashtra, but party sources said he pressed his claim for the CM’s post. A parallel push for Satheesan gathered pace, with coordinated messages and emails reaching Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, reflecting the intensity of the internal contest despite Congress-led UDF’s blowout mandate of 103 seats in the 140-member House. Congress brass is disinclined to hold a formal headcount. Instead, observers will conduct one-to-one consultations with MLAs before the legislature party meets at 10.30am Thursday at KPCC headquarters. The CLP is expected to pass a resolution authorising party president to take the final call. Fault lines have surfaced. Satheesan camp has objected to the role of AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunshi, alleging bias toward Venugopal and opposing her involvement in MLA consultations. For Congress, managing political fallout is a central concern, with fears of grassroots backlash if the final pick cuts against expectations within key factions.