The 63-member Congress legislature party (CLP) in Kerala on Thursday formally authorised the party leadership to pick the nominee for the chief minister’s post, a move that comes against the backdrop of intense lobbying for the top post.
“A one-line resolution was passed by the party asking the high command to take the decision (on the CM’s post),” Chalakudy lawmaker Saneesh Kumar Joseph told reporters after the legislature party’s meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.
The formal resolution was moved by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunny Joseph and passed with the support of leaders such as VD Satheesan, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly and 69-year-old Ramesh Chennithala, a former Kerala minister and ex-leader of opposition.
The two veterans, along with AICC general secretary (organisation) Venugopal (63), a Lok Sabha member from Alappuzha, are considered to be in contention for the top post.
Senior Congress leaders, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, observers deputed by the AICC leadership, held one-on-one consultations with the 63 legislators at Indira Bhawan, the party headquarters, over the next few hours to ascertain their preferences.
The camp led by Venugopal has claimed the support of a majority of MLAs. Satheesan’s faction is learnt to have underlined that he had the backing of all major allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph) and Communist Marxist Party.
{{/usCountry}}The camp led by Venugopal has claimed the support of a majority of MLAs. Satheesan’s faction is learnt to have underlined that he had the backing of all major allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph) and Communist Marxist Party.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) swept the April 9 Kerala assembly elections, returning to power after a decade of Left rule. The UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member assembly.
The faction led by Chennithala has argued that he, by seniority in the state unit and experience in administrative matters, must be handed the top post. While Satheesan and Chennithala were elected from their strongholds of Paravoor and Haripad, respectively, Venugopal did not contest the election.
Mathew Kuzhalnadan, who won the Muvattupuzha seat, said all legislators would abide by the decision of the high command.
“The media must stop portraying the Congress as being in a state of confusion. We are a national party and have contributed so many PMs and CMs. We have the capability to choose the next CM,” he said, after attending the legislature party meeting.