The Congress is expected to announce its chief ministerial pick in Kerala on Thursday (May 14, 2026). The party general secretary, Jairam Ramesh, on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) said the decision on this will be announced on Thursday, as the party high command has completed all discussions in this regard.
This decision came after an almost 40-minute meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter’s residence. The suspense over the party’s pick would end 10 days after the results of the assembly elections were declared.
On Wednesday, the party supporters were crowded in front of the residences of the three top contenders for the post, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala in Alappuzha, and former Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan at Paravur in Ernakulam.
Meanwhile, the “raging group war” in the Congress over the top post threatened to spill over into the high command’s backyard. In Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, Congress workers mobbed KPCC vice president Benny Behanan, demanding that the party put an end to the uncertainty. At Kottoor in Kozhikode, members of the Congress ward committee threatened to quit en masse if the high command pushed ahead with Mr. Venugopal’s candidature.
Also read: IUML growing restive over Congress delaying CM decision
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had won 102 seats in the Kerala Assembly polls, pushing the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to the second position.
