Thiruvananthapuram, 09 May (H.S.): The Congress leadership on Saturday concluded a crucial round of discussions in New Delhi to decide the next Chief Minister of Kerala following the United Democratic Front’s emphatic victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. However, no final decision was announced after the meeting, with party leaders indicating that the Congress high command would take the final call after further consultations.

The high-level meeting was held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and lasted for several hours. Senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, V.D. Satheesan, K.C. Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph attended the discussions. AICC observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken, who had earlier submitted their assessment report on the post-election situation in Kerala, were also part of the deliberations.

The meeting comes six days after the UDF secured a sweeping mandate in the Kerala Assembly elections, ending the Left Democratic Front’s decade-long rule in the state. Since the declaration of results, intense speculation has been underway over who would lead the new government, with the names of V.D. Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and K.C. Venugopal being widely discussed in political circles.

Addressing the media after the meeting, senior Congress leaders appealed to party workers and supporters to maintain discipline and avoid any public displays of factional rivalry. They specifically urged cadres not to organise demonstrations, celebratory marches, or put up flex boards backing individual leaders for the Chief Minister’s post.

The Congress leadership stressed that the party remains united and that the interests of the UDF government and the people of Kerala would be the top priority while selecting the next Chief Minister.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman