Kerala's new CM today? Congress ends 10-day deadlock; Satheesan or Venugopal?

Despite securing a commanding mandate in the May 2026 Assembly elections, the Congress reportedly witnessed an intense 10-day internal tussle over the chief ministerial post, driven by factional rivalries and competing claims to leadership.

Congress is set to end a 10-day deadlock on Thursday over the selection of Kerala’s next Chief Minister, with the party expected to announce its choice during the legislature party meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. The frontrunners for the post are grassroots architect VD Satheesan, AICC heavyweight KC Venugopal, and veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala, one of whom will lead the state’s first non-Communist government in a decade.

“As authorised by the members of the CLP in Kerala, the high command of Congress has completed all discussions. The decision on who the next CM of Kerala will be announced tomorrow,” Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday.

Notably, the Congress has appointed observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken to select the leader of the Kerala Congress Legislature Party. The duo held extensive discussions with the newly elected MLAs and submitted their report to the party high command. The high command has since been holding consultations in New Delhi with senior Kerala leaders to finalise the Chief Ministerial candidate.

Why a 10-day deadlock over Kerala CM name

Despite securing a commanding mandate in the May 2026 Assembly elections, the Congress reportedly witnessed an intense 10-day internal tussle over the chief ministerial post, driven by factional rivalries and competing claims to leadership.

Reportedly, the party is witnessing a Delhi-versus-state faction war, with the central contest centred on AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and outgoing Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan. Venugopal’s camp claims he enjoys the backing of a majority of the newly elected MLAs, along with support from influential Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders. Satheesan, meanwhile, is widely credited as the architect of the UDF’s landslide victory and is believed to enjoy strong backing from key alliance partners in the state.

Adding another layer to the contest is senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who has staked his claim based on seniority and administrative experience, making a straightforward compromise difficult. The central leadership is also said to have delayed the announcement, fearing public backlash and internal rebellion, as factional rivalry spilled onto the streets through aggressive poster campaigns and public displays of support across Kerala.

Kerala assembly election

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) returned to power in Kerala after a gap of 10 years by securing a historic 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 71. The victory also ended the Left Democratic Front’s bid for a rare third consecutive term, restoring Kerala’s long-standing pattern of alternating governments between the two rival alliances.

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