NEW DELHI: The streets of Kerala are lined with posters – not of rival parties but of rivals within the same party vying for the chief minister’s post. One poster read “Kerala wants KC” while another poster next to it had a picture of VD Satheesan with the title “Natural Selection”. Soon after the results of the Kerala Assembly elections were announced, the UDF stormed back to power, winning 102 seats, but the excitement has faded with the CM looking beyond recognition.The Congress party’s delay in selecting a candidate for the top job has also angered its allies as factions within the party remain divided over who should be the leader. Meanwhile, former KPCC chiefs and senior party leaders have been summoned to New Delhi. party chairman Malikajun HagerRahul Gandhi and senior leader AK Antony are expected to play a key role in the decision-making process. KPCC president Sunny Joseph and AICC general secretary in-charge of southern states Deepa Dasmunsi were also present.Congress leaders in Thiruvananthapuram said a final decision on the leadership issue is likely to be taken after discussions between Malikajun Haq and senior party leader Sonia Gandhi. Sources also said that the party high command is waiting for tensions to subside in Kerala before making any official announcement following protests and poster drives by Satheesan and Venugopal supporters last week.It is clear that whatever the high command decides, it will unsettle a section of the United Democratic Front (UDF) at a time when the great old party is facing successive defeats at the center and in the states.
IUML asks for names, warns of ‘consequences’
The Indian Muslim League, a key ally of the Congress-led Democratic Alliance, has expressed its displeasure at continued delays in the appointment of Kerala’s next chief minister and warned that prolonged uncertainty could have political consequences. The criticism comes nearly a week after the UDF secured a landslide victory in the April 9 parliamentary elections, as a decision on the leadership remains unresolved within Congress. IUML Malappuram district general secretary P Abdul Hameed said the delay had led to frustration among party workers and the public.“This decision has been delayed. If it is delayed any further, it will have repercussions.” We hope the AICC leadership realizes this,” PTI quoted him as saying.“There is dissatisfaction everywhere. Wherever we go, people only raise this issue, including at weddings and funerals,” he added.
When is it expected to be released?
Congress leader K Muraleedharan said the decision may be announced within 48 hours. “I think within 48 hours a decision will be taken. The Congress is a democratic party, so they will use all democratic methods – discussions with MLAs, alliance partners, tomorrow they will discuss with the former CPPCC president… A new generation is coming to take over as chief minister, so naturally there will be controversy and discussions, that’s natural,” he said.Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, also a contender for the top job, said the meeting was over. “The meeting ended yesterday… the decision will be taken by the Congress high command; we are all waiting for the decision. Whatever the high command decides, we will accept it,” he said.
Long-running leadership gridlock in Congress
Congress has a long history of lengthy consultations and internal lobbying before finalizing leadership choices, especially after major election victories. A prominent example was after the party’s victory in Karnataka in 2023, when there was a fierce contest between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for the chief ministership. After days of deliberations and negotiations, the party leadership reached a compromise and appointed Siddaramaiah as chief minister and Shivakumar as deputy chief minister.Similar uncertainty arose after the Congress party’s victories in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in 2018. In Madhya Pradesh, both Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia are vying for the top post, while in Rajasthan, the leadership battle is between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. After several rounds of discussions, the impasse was eventually resolved with Kamal Nath becoming the in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, Gehlot as the chief minister of Rajasthan and Pilot as the deputy chief minister.
