Who will be Kerala’s CM? KC Venugopal likely Congress pick, decision soon
PTC Web Desk: The race for the next Chief Minister of Kerala appears to be tilting strongly in favour of KC Venugopal, with sources in the Congress indicating he is currently ahead of other contenders. The development comes after party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik submitted their report to party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The observers have clarified that the final call will rest with the party leadership, which will consider the views of newly elected MLAs, alliance partners and public sentiment before making an announcement.
According to sources, the Congress is keen to wrap up the decision quickly, with the swearing-in ceremony likely to take place on Monday.
Apart from Venugopal, the list of probable candidates includes VD Satheesan, who currently serves as Leader of the Opposition, and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala. Venugopal, 63, is currently the Congress general secretary and a Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha. If chosen as Chief Minister, he will have to step down from Parliament.
Within party circles, Venugopal is being credited as a key strategist behind the Congress-led United Democratic Front’s (UDF) strong performance. Supporters have even put up posters hailing him as the driving force behind the alliance’s victory.
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to draw prominent leaders, including Rahul Gandhi. There is also speculation that actor-turned-politician Vijay may attend, amid ongoing political developments in Tamil Nadu.
- With inputs from agencies
