Senior Congress figures opened talks in New Delhi on May 12 to decide the party's candidate for Kerala chief minister after the United Democratic Front's recent win.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge met top Kerala Congress leaders at 10 Janpath to weigh options for the chief minister post. The discussions focused on three main contenders: All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal, senior leader V.D. Satheesan and former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took part in the consultations.
Former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Muraleedharan told reporters that the high command need not limit itself to these three names. He noted a generational shift in the party and stressed that popular opinion would also guide the final choice alongside numbers in the legislature party. Muraleedharan added that allies such as the Indian Union Muslim League would have input in the decision.
Senior leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the Muslim League would accept the high command's verdict without taking a hard line. Left Democratic Front convener T.P. Ramakrishnan declined to comment on the matter, stating that the Congress should first settle its own leadership question.
