Kerala CM announcement highlights: Suspense in Kerala to end tomorrow as Congress to decide among frontrunners

Kerala CM announcement highlights: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has now announced that discussions within the party have been completed and Kerala's chief minister will be announced tomorrow.

L to R: Kerala CM post frontrunners VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala (PTI and ANI)

Kerala CM announcement highlights: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has now announced that discussions within the party have been completed and Kerala's chief minister will be announced tomorrow....Read More

Follow all the updates here:

• 13 May 2026, 10:38:51 PM IST

  The live updates to the blog are closed.

  The live updates to the blog are closed.

• 13 May 2026, 10:25:57 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: What is happening in Kerala CM race?

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has now announced that discussions within the party have been completed and Kerala's chief minister will be announced tomorrow.

  The wait for a chief minister for Kerala is expected to end soon, over a week after assembly election results were announced, as Congress may announce its pick for the top job after much discussions and deliberations.

  Several Congress' Kerala leaders, including five former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs (KPCC), United Democratic Front convenor, KPCC disciplinary committee chief and three KPCC working presidents, met Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday to discuss and pick a chief minister for Kerala.

• 13 May 2026, 07:45:30 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Discussion on CM pick now complete, announcement tomorrow, says senior leader

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Congress to announce next Kerala CM tomorrow, says Jairam Ramesh.

• 13 May 2026, 06:55:35 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi leaves Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence

• 13 May 2026, 06:52:42 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Kerala Congress leaders, including KPCC Working President Shafi Parambil arrive at 10, Janpath

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Kerala Congress leaders, including KPCC Working President Shafi Parambil, arrive at 10 Janpath.

• 13 May 2026, 06:51:20 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Posters target Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra amid suspense over Keralam CM pick

• 13 May 2026, 06:13:50 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: VD Satheesan supporters gather at Kochi residence as Congress high command meets in Delhi

• 13 May 2026, 06:04:09 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Supporters gather at KC Venugopal's residence as Kerala CM race heats up

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Supporters of Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal gathered at his residence in Kochi as meetings of Congress High Command are underway in Delhi to decide the CM face of Kerala.

• 13 May 2026, 05:46:09 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Posters in Wayanad warn Rahul Gandhi against KC Venugopal

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Posters were seen near Wayanad district Congress office warning Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of losing further polls if KC Venugopal is nominated for Kerala CM post.

  KC Venugopal has emerged to be one of the frontrunners for the post of Kerala CM.

• 13 May 2026, 05:36:10 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Kerala CM announcement likely today, says state Congress chief Sunny Joseph

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: The state Congress chief Sunny Joseph on Wednesday suggested that the announcement could finally come later in the day, saying discussions within the party had been completed and the final word would come from Delhi.

  "We expect the Chief Minister's name to be announced today. It is understood that all discussions have been completed. We are waiting for the announcement today. Sonia Gandhi was in the hospital, so there could be a slight delay because of that. The Chief Minister's name will be announced from Delhi," Joseph said.

• 13 May 2026, 04:49:49 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Who backs who in Kerala chief minister race

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Kerala Congress leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala are said to be in the running for the post of chief minister.

  While Venugopal has the backing of the majority of the elected Congress MLAs, Satheesan has wide support among the party rank and file and key allies like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kerala Congress (Joseph), as reported in an earlier HT report.

  In a key meeting on selecting the United Democratic Front (UDF) CM on Tuesday, Venugopal was backed by six of the nine party leaders , while two leaders-- K Muralidharan and VM Sudheeran-- supported VD Satheesan, and one remained neutral.

• 13 May 2026, 04:33:06 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Ex-state Congress chief says told Rahul to consider public opinion

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Former Kerala Congress chief VM Sudheeran said on Wednesday that he has told Rahul Gandhi that public opinion should be kept in while while picking chief minister of Kerala, for which several leaders are in the running, including VD Satheesan and KC Venugopal.

  “I have told Rahul Gandhi that public opinion should be considered while selecting the Kerala chief minister,” Sudheeran said, speaking to PTI news agency.

• 13 May 2026, 04:02:39 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Congress overwhelmed with confusion, says BJP

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday said that the Congress party has been overwhelmed with "confusion" amid the suspense over the chief minister for Kerala.

  The results were announced on May 4 and Congress is yet to make an announcement on the CM post.

  "...The Congress party is in complete confusion even after 9 days... Congress got a full majority in Keralam and yet there is confusion... I was even told that there will be five CMs in five years... Wherever there is CM, there is confusion. You can see the situation of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh...", Poonawalla told ANI news agency, taking out binoculars to take a dig at the Congress.

• 13 May 2026, 03:38:28 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Posters in Wayanad warn Rahul Gandhi against KC Venugopal

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: A day after senior Congress leader KC Venugopal was backed by six of the nine party leaders who attended a Congress meeting on Tuesday on selecting the United Democratic Front (UDF) CM, posters warning Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were seen in latter's constituency Wayanad, warning them against going ahead with Venugopal for the chief minister's post.

  While six people had backed Venugopal, two -- K Muralidharan and VM Sudheeran-- supported VD Satheesan, and one remained neutral on Tuesday.

  Ramesh Chemmithala, Congress leader and MLA from Haripad, is the other contender for the post. While Venugopal has the backing of the majority of the elected Congress MLAs, Satheesan has wide support among the party rank and file and key allies like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kerala Congress (Joseph).

  The posters appeared outside the district Congress committee office in Wayanad and Vadra’s MP office in Mukkam in Kozhikode. Vadra is the Congress MP from Wayanad while Gandhi served as the MP from the constituency between 2019 and 2024. One of the posters said, “Mr Rahul, KC might be your bag bearer, but people of Kerala will never forgive you.” Read full report here

• 13 May 2026, 03:33:15 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Name to be out today, Sonia Gandhi's hospitalisation may cause slight delay, says Congress

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE updates: Keralam Congress president Sunny Joseph said on Wednesday that the announcement of the next chief minister is expected later in the day as discussions within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) near completion.

  He said a slight delay is possible due to Sonia Gandhi's hospital visit.

  Speaking to reporters, Joseph said party leaders and workers were waiting for the final decision from the Congress high command. "We expect the chief minister's name to be announced today. It is understood that all discussions have been completed. We are waiting for the announcement today. Sonia Gandhi was in the hospital, so there could be a slight delay because of that. The chief minister's name will be announced from Delhi," ANI news agency quoted Joseph as saying.

• 13 May 2026, 03:10:03 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Posters warning Rahul Gandhi seen in Wayanad as Venugupal leads CM race

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Posters were seen near Wayanad district Congress office warning Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of losing further polls if KC Venugopal is nominated for Kerala CM post.

  KC Venugopal has emerged to be one of the frontrunners for the post of Kerala CM.

• 13 May 2026, 02:20:56 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: What Udhayanidhi Stalin said during Vijay's trust vote

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday said that the TVK government in the state did not have the backing of a majority of voters and questioned its decision to seek the support of a section of AIADMK MLAs after previously attacking the party over corruption allegations.

  “Do you know how many voted for the ruling party. Just 1.72 crore…the remaining approximately 3.21 crore people voted against your party and you must understand this,” he said.

• 13 May 2026, 01:46:12 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: AIADMK's EPK govt formed by ‘luring some members’

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE updates: AIADMK MLA Edappadi K. Palaniswami said on Wednesday that the party has appointed Krishnamoorthy as the party whip, and the same was informed to all MLAs. However, a few former ministers who were elected as MLAs issued statements that amounted to betraying the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and violating political discipline. Even after being informed of our stand, they announced that they would support the ruling government. This is entirely against the law."

  “This government was formed by luring some members with promises of ministerial posts and board appointments. Those members have now extended support to the resolutions brought by the chief Minister. AIADMK 47 MLAs who won in the assembly elections were elected under the “Two Leaves” symbol,” Palaniswami said.

  Instead of remaining loyal to the party, they have betrayed it, he said, adding that their desire to become ministers has led them to act against the party leadership’s directives.

  "This is against both the law and justice. Something unprecedented in the history of Tamil Nadu is happening now. It is disappointing that such developments are taking place within Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam right at the very beginning," he said.

• 13 May 2026, 01:25:37 PM IST

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Ally IUML says will announce stance after Congress call

  Kerala CM announcement LIVE: Amid indications that the Congress high command could announce Kerala’s next chief minister at any moment, the IUML on Wednesday said it would reveal its position only after the grand old party takes a final call.

  The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key ally of the Congress-led UDF, held a crucial leadership meeting at the residence of its supremo, Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, at Panakkad here.

  "We are waiting for a decision from the Congress high command in Delhi in this regard," Kunhalikutty told reporters after the meeting, reported news agency PTI.

  "The meeting discussed all related matters and authorised Thangal to take further decisions. We will take a call after the high command announces the chief minister," he added.

• 13 May 2026, 01:10:19 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Appointment of Vijay's astronomer revoked

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Tamil Nadu govt revoked the appointment of Rickey Radhan Pandit Vetrivel as officer on special duty for chief minister Vijay, after his appointment was critcised in the assembly during trust vote.

  Rickey Radhan Pandit Vetrivel's appointment as OSD to the Chief Minister (Political) was announced on Tuesday.

  DMK ally Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam MLA Premalatha Vijaykanth raised questions over his appointment and said that CM could have appointed him as personal secretary instead of giving an government post.

• 13 May 2026, 01:05:38 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: DMDK leader opposes Vijay's astronomer's appoint for key post

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: DMDK General Secretary and MLA Premalatha Vijayakanth says, "The people of Tamil Nadu condemn the appointment of Radhan Pandit on a senior post. This is condemnable."

• 13 May 2026, 12:45:38 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Vijay vows a secular govt after winning trust vote

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay said that his government will certainly be 'secular' in governance and will not indulge in horse-trading but will function with the speed of a horse.

  He said all the previous welfare schemes will be continued under his government.

  Vijay made the remarks during his address after winning the trust vote in TN assembly.

• 13 May 2026, 12:26:09 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Assembly speaker says 22 MLAs opposed trust vote, 5 were neutral

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Tamil Nadu assembly speaker JCD Prabhakar said chief minister Vijay's trust vote resolution in the House was opposed by 22 MLAs, while five others took neutral stand.

• 13 May 2026, 12:23:43 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: DMK MLAs led by Udhayanidhi Stalin stage walkout amid trust vote

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE updates: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLAs led by Udhayanidhi Stalin staged a walkout from the state assembly during floor test of TVK government.

• 13 May 2026, 12:18:53 PM IST

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE: Assembly speaker lauds TVK's trust vote win

  Floor test Tamil Nadu LIVE updates: On newly sworn in Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay's party TVK winning trust vote, Tamil Nadu speaker JCD Prabhakar said, "That day [result day] it won in people's forum, today it has won in this great forum (TN assembly) as well."

• 13 May 2026, 12:07:43 PM IST

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Who all voted for Vijay? Here's a breakdown

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Here's a breakdown on how Vijay got 144 votes during his floor test-

  TVK- 105

  Congress: 5

  CPI: 2

  CPIM: 2

  IUML: 2

  VCK: 2

  AMMK: 1

  Rebel AIADMK faction: 25

• 13 May 2026, 11:57:16 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Vijay extends gratitude to MLAs who supported him

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Vijay addressed the Tamil Nadu assembly after winning the floor test and extended heartfelt thanks to legislators who backed his government.

• 13 May 2026, 11:55:58 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Supreme Court stays Madras HC order restraining TVK MLA from casting vote in floor test

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Supreme Court stays Madras HC order restraining TVK MLA S Sethupathi from casting vote in floor test, terms it atrocious

• 13 May 2026, 11:44:57 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Vijay wins floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly

  Tamil Nadu floor test LIVE updates: Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay won floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly after AIADMK's rebel faction voted for him despite EPS' warning.

  Here is the final tally of the votes-

  Yes: 144

  No: 22

  Abstain: 5

• 13 May 2026, 11:36:40 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Trust vote going on in TN Assembly as per block wise

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Trust vote going on in Tamil Nadu Assembly block wise.

• 13 May 2026, 11:19:15 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: DMK says will walk out during vote

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu and DMK MLA Udhyanidhi Stalin said that the party will walk out of Vijay's confidence vote session.

  He said that 66 per cent of people of Tamil Nadu didn't vote for TVK and that the trust people had on the party before elections is also decreasing day by day.

  Stalin said that political parties like CPI, CPIM, IUML, VCK have supported TVK only to ensure that governor's rule was not imposed in Tamil Nadu.

• 13 May 2026, 11:10:52 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Rebel AIADMK faction says it's supporting Vijay

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: The rebel AIADMK faction said that it is supporting Vijay and TVK.

  “We are not asking for any posts in the ministry,” said S P Velumani.

• 13 May 2026, 11:07:45 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Rebel AIADMK faction interrupted

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: As AIADMK faction, which supports TVK, led by S P Velumani tried to speak, another faction led by Edapaddi Palaniswami interrupted and raised slogans demanding Speaker JCD Prabhakar not to allow him speak.

• 13 May 2026, 11:03:52 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: EPS' faction of AIADMK opposes Vijay, his party

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: AIADMK faction led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami faction opposes Vijay and his party during confidence vote.

  EPS said all 47 MLAs of the party will oppose TVK amid internal rift in the party.

• 13 May 2026, 10:57:40 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates:EPS questions whether its right for Vijay to support one faction of AIADMK

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: AIADMK general secretary Edapaddi Palaniswami asked in Tamil Nadu assembly whether it is right for the chief minister to support one faction of the AIADMK. He made the remarks during Vijay's trust vote in the assembly.

  On Tuesday, Vijay met rebel AIADMK faction led by C Ve Shanmugham and S P Velumani.

• 13 May 2026, 10:44:17 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: MJK votes against CM Vijay

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ally Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi's MLA Thamimun Ansari voted against Vijay and his party during trust vote.

• 13 May 2026, 10:41:03 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: PMK abstains from voting

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Pattali Makkal Katchi MLA Sowmya Anbumani said that the party is "abstaining from voting".

• 13 May 2026, 10:35:41 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Sole BJP MLA remains ‘neutral’ during trust vote

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Sole BJP MLA in Tamil Nadu assembly, M Bhojarajan, remained ‘neutral’ on his party's stance during trust vote for chief minister Vijay and his party.

• 13 May 2026, 10:32:19 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: DMDK MLA tears into Vijay over appointing his astronomer for key post

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: DMDK MLA Premalatha Vijaykanth raised questions on appointment of Rickey Radhan Pandit Vetrivel as CM Vijay's officer On Special Duty. She asked why such a top post was given to him.

  “CM could have appointed him as a personal officer instead of appointing him as OSD,” she said.

• 13 May 2026, 10:29:46 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Who is in Vijay corner?

  

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Who all is in Vijay's corner as trust vote takes place in Tamil Nadu. Here's a look -

• 13 May 2026, 10:22:32 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: VCK said extending support to avoid Governor's rule

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: VCK's Vanniyarasu, while extending support to Vijay and his party, said that the support is being extended to avoid Governor's rule in the state.

  He asked Vijay to not compromise on the delimitation issue in the state.

  "We expect a lot from this government. DMK allies foiled delimitation attempts by the Centre, we expect no compromise on this front. The government should also enact a special act on dishonour killings," he said.

• 13 May 2026, 10:09:10 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Vijay crosses majority mark in Assembly as CPI extends support

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: During chief minister Vijay's trust vote in Tamil Nadu assembly, CPI extended its support to him and his party with their two seats.

  With this, Vijay has crossed the majority mark of 117 supporting MLAs in the assembly.

• 13 May 2026, 10:03:01 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Expelled AMMK MLA extends support to Vijay

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam MLA, who was expelled by his party chief for supporting Vijay, extends his support to him in floor test.

• 13 May 2026, 09:57:02 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: IUML declares support to chief minister Vijay

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: IUML has declared support to chief minister Vijay and his party TVK in Tamil Nadu assembly during trust vote.

• 13 May 2026, 09:53:35 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: CPI (M) declares support for Vijay, TVK

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: The Community Party of India (Marxist) declared support for Vijay and his party in Tamil Nadu assembly today with its two MLAs.

• 13 May 2026, 09:52:24 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: VCK declares support for Vijay, his party

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: In Vijay's floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly today, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi declared support for the chief minister and his party.

• 13 May 2026, 09:50:27 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Congress declares support for TVK govt

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay has moved resolution seeking confidence vote. Taking part in trust vote proceedings in Tamil Nadu assembly, Congress declares support to TVK govt.

• 13 May 2026, 09:43:12 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Vijay needs 117 seats to prove majority today, not 118

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay needs to garner 117 votes today to prove his majority in the floor test in Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.

  This is because after Vijay left his Trichy (East) seat, where bypolls will be held later, and one of his party MLA's becoming the Speaker who can't vote, the majority mark has slipped to 117.

• 13 May 2026, 09:39:08 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Rebel AIADMK MLAs arrive at Assembly

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Rebel AIADMK MLAs lead by SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam arrive at the state assembly for floor test.

• 13 May 2026, 09:33:41 AM IST

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Vijay's floor test to prove majority in Tamil Nadu assembly begins

  Tamil Nadu govt news LIVE updates: Vijay's floor test to prove majority in Tamil Nadu assembly begins