Kerala CM buzz intensifies; anti-high command posters surface in Wayanad

Kerala is likely to know the name of its next Chief Minister later on Wednesday, with indications that the Congress high command could make an announcement before noon.

The delay in the decision has kept the camps of three top contenders--AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala on edge.

As the Congress leadership continued discussions over the selection of Kerala's next Chief Minister, party leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) presidents in Delhi to gather their views and help end the prolonged uncertainty.

Sources said the Kerala leaders called to Delhi by the party leadership during crucial discussions on Tuesday expressed their views on the Chief Ministerial choice, with the names of Venugopal, Satheesan and Chennithala figuring prominently in the consultations as the high command continued its deliberations.

 

Former KPCC chief K Muraleedharan, after meeting Gandhi, said the party was expected to announce the Chief Minister's name by Wednesday.

Another former state Congress president, V M Sudheeran, said he had a detailed discussion with Rahul on the political situation in Kerala and the public mood in the state. He said he hoped the party leadership would take a decision keeping the sentiments of the people in mind.

Meanwhile, posters targeting Rahul and Priyanka have appeared in Wayanad, highlighting growing tensions within the party.

The English-language posters were put up near the Wayanad DCC office and warned that the people of Kerala would not forgive the high command if Venugopal is chosen for the Chief Minister's post.

One of the posters also claimed that Wayanad would become "the next Amethi" if such a decision is taken.

The posters criticised Venugopal, calling him "nothing more than a bag carrier" of Rahul, and suggested that protests would intensify if he is backed by the party leadership.

Some of the messages also targeted Rahul and Priyanka directly, saying Kerala would not forgive their "foolish decisions".

The posters further warned the Gandhi siblings to "forget Wayanad", claiming they would not win from the constituency again.

A decision on the next Kerala chief minister has been pending since May 4, when the Congress-led UDF bagged 102 out of the 140 seats in the state polls held last month, more than a two-thirds majority.

The uncertainty continued even after party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik met the Congress MLAs in Kerala and gathered their views, following which the central leadership held discussions with the three main contenders, as well as KPCC president Sunny Joseph.

The Congress has 63 MLAs in the 140-member Kerala Assembly. Its allies, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has 22, Kerala Congress (KEC) has eight, while the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) has three MLAs.