Congress Kerala CM Face: Leadership Defers Decision After Crucial Delhi Strategy Meet

As the Congress intensifies preparations for the crucial Kerala Assembly elections, a central question continues to dominate political discourse — who will be the party’s chief ministerial face if it returns to power? The issue was at the heart of a high-level meeting held in Delhi, where the party’s central leadership laid down a clear message for its Kerala unit: unity first, leadership decision later.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, Rahul Gandhi told Kerala Congress leaders that the decision on the Chief Minister would be taken only after the election results, and only if the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secures a majority in the 140-member Assembly. The leadership made it clear that projecting individual ambitions ahead of the polls could harm the party’s prospects.

The meeting comes at a time when early pre-election assessments and recent local body election trends have given the Congress renewed confidence in Kerala. While no formal announcement was made regarding a CM candidate, speculation continues within political circles. Names frequently mentioned include Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal.

During the closed-door meeting, the Congress high command reportedly issued a stern warning against factionalism — a long-standing problem that has repeatedly weakened the party in Kerala. Party leaders were asked to focus on collective campaigning, messaging discipline, and grassroots mobilisation rather than internal rivalries.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is understood to have emphasised that public controversies, mixed signals, or power struggles would not be tolerated in the run-up to the elections. The leadership believes that unity within the Kerala unit will be critical to counter the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is seeking a rare third consecutive term.

Following the meeting, Kharge said in a public message that the people of Kerala were looking for change and that the Congress, along with its UDF allies, was committed to providing development-driven and welfare-oriented governance. Party leaders described the discussions as constructive, with a shared goal of mounting a strong electoral challenge.

KC Venugopal, speaking after the meeting, said the party had set an ambitious target of winning at least 100 seats in the Assembly. He added that both Rahul Gandhi and Kharge had patiently heard the views of Kerala leaders and that the party would contest the elections as a united force.

The question of whether sitting Members of Parliament would be asked to contest the Assembly elections was also raised. Sources indicated that the matter would be taken up by the Pradesh Election Committee, which is scheduled to meet later this month.

Notably, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor did not attend the Delhi meeting. Party sources dismissed speculation of discontent, stating that his absence was due to a prior engagement in Kerala and that he had informed the leadership in advance.

Kerala is expected to head to the polls before May, setting the stage for a three-way contest — the LDF defending power, the Congress-led UDF pushing for a comeback, and the BJP seeking to expand its footprint and potentially play a decisive role.

With leadership questions deliberately kept open, the Congress appears focused on avoiding internal distractions and presenting a unified front as it enters one of its most critical electoral battles in the state.