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Congress yet to declare CM pick for Kerala; IUML unhappy, BJP attacks
Three main contenders from the Congress are VD Sateeshan, KC Venugopal, and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala.
The race for the throne of Kerala chief minister is still on, a week after the results were declared last Monday, with no light at the end of the tunnel yet in sight, and Congress's UDF allies growing impatient.
The suspense continues with the party high command yet to announce its decision, amid hectic lobbying of three top contenders — VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and KC Venugopal.
The BJP has also attacked the grand old party for the delay, as have Congress's own supporters. But it is a rebuke from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) that would sting the party the most.
IUML, a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF having 22 seats, on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the delay in deciding Kerala's next CM, warning that prolonged uncertainty could have political repercussions.
"The decision has already been delayed. If it is prolonged further, there will be repercussions. We hope the AICC leadership realises this," IUML Malappuram district general secretary P Abdul Hameed told reporters.
Also Read: Kerala calling KC? Rahul Gandhi's main man Venugopal in CM race in home state
He said people across the state were questioning the delay and claimed that even women voters from the district were calling party leaders to ask why they had been made to vote for the UDF.
"There is dissatisfaction everywhere. People are raising only this issue wherever we go, including at marriage functions and funerals," he said.
This comes as the Kerala CM’s post has three main contenders from the Congress: leader of the opposition in the Kerala assembly, VD Sateeshan; party general secretary KC Venugopal; and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala.
The IUML leader said the League had conveyed its views on the chief ministerial candidate to the Congress leadership and expressed confidence that the Congress would take the ally's opinion seriously.
BJP’s jibe
The BJP is not behind in attacking the Congress over the delay in announcing the chief minister of Kerala, even though the saffron party managed to win just three seats.
BJP MLA-elect from Kazhakootam, V Muraleedharan, on Monday, alleged that the Congress was more focused on power than public welfare.
Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said that despite receiving a massive mandate, the Congress had failed to reach a unanimous decision on leadership, which, according to him, reflected the party's disregard for the state's people.
The Congress-led UDF has won 102 of the total 140 seats in the Kerala assembly, while the outgoing LDF has won 35.
"It shows the Congress does not care for the people of the state. Even after getting a massive mandate, the Congress couldn't come up with a name unanimously. It shows that Congressmen are after power, not for the people. Congress leadership at the national and state levels does not care for the people of Kerala. It is a massive act of disrespect toward the people of the state. Congress should apologise to the people of Kerala for creating such a situation. They will not be able to make decisions on many things. I am sure that this government will not take more than a year for people to come out against them," said Muraleedharan.
The BJP leader further alleged that the Congress would not be able to govern independently, as the government's agenda would be driven by the IUML.
"Congress will not be able to rule the state based on their decisions because the agenda will be set by the Muslim League," he said.
Congress responds
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Monday said that whatever decision the party high command takes regarding the chief ministerial post in Kerala will be accepted by all Congress and UDF workers in the state.
Also Read: Suspense over Congress's Kerala CM pick continues; three contenders in sight
Chennithala is one of the three front-runners for the post, with VD Sateeshan and KC Venugopal making up the other two.
"We have conveyed whatever we had to say to the high command. They have heard everything. The rest is for them to decide," Chennithala told reporters here after returning from New Delhi.
He said the delay in taking the decision is part of a democratic procedure.
Whatever decision the party high command takes regarding the chief ministerial post in Kerala will be accepted by all Congress and UDF workers in the state, he added.
