NEW DELHI: Over a week after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a clear mandate in Kerala, the alliance is still unable to finalise its chief ministerial face, amid an ongoing tussle between senior leaders over the top post.According to PTI sources, Congress top leadership Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to take the final decision on the Kerala chief minister.The party high command will on Tuesday seek the views of former KPCC presidents and working presidents before arriving at a conclusion.Senior leaders who have been called to Delhi include former KPCC presidents V M Sudheeran, Mullappally Ramachandran, K Muraleedharan, K Sudhakaran and M M Hassan.The party has also asked senior MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, along with working presidents P C Vishnunath, Shafi Parambil and A P Anil Kumar, to participate in the discussions.Talks will be held on Tuesday, and a final decision is expected soon, party sources said.The three frontrunners for the chief minister’s post are Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan and AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal. The central leadership is widening consultations, even as uncertainty continues after party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik met Congress MLAs and collected their feedback, followed by separate discussions with the three contenders and KPCC president Sunny Joseph.The move to consult former KPCC presidents has boosted the Satheesan camp, which also enjoys strong grassroots support within UDF workers and backing from key ally the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).At least two former KPCC chiefs, Sudheeran and Muraleedharan, are reportedly of the view that public sentiment should be considered before finalising the chief minister.The Satheesan camp argues that IUML’s position also reflects public sentiment.They further claim that if Venugopal is chosen, it could trigger two by-elections, one for his assembly entry and another for the Alappuzha Lok Sabha seat, which they say would be politically risky at this stage.However, leaders from the Venugopal camp argue that the AICC general secretary (Organisation) has the backing of most MLAs and is a key strategist capable of strengthening UDF prospects in future bypolls. They also claim support from most Congress MPs in Kerala.The Chennithala camp maintains that he is the most senior leader, who has consistently stood by the party and the Nehru-Gandhi family even in difficult times.They also highlight his long organisational experience, including his roles in the NSU(I) and Youth Congress, and argue that several leaders who worked under him have gone on to become chief ministers or union ministers.His supporters further say that unlike rival camps, they have avoided public displays such as poster campaigns or street protests, respecting party discipline.Meanwhile, the BJP has criticised the Congress for failing to announce a chief minister despite securing support of 63 MLAs and three independents (66 in total), alleging that the delay reflects pressure from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and the Muslim League.In a Facebook post, former state BJP president K Surendran said: “Even after having the support of 63 MLAs and three independents — a total of 66 members on their own — whom is the Congress high command afraid of when it comes to announcing the Chief Minister? The answer is very simple– Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muslim League. Anyone with basic common sense can understand that they are the ones creating all this uproar.”He further alleged that whoever is eventually named chief minister would first visit the Panakkad Thangal residence after landing at Karipur airport, and criticised what he called “secular majority” voters for what lies ahead over the next five years.
