Ahmedabad Times

Satheesan has extensively been seen because the pure alternative because of his efficiency as Chief of the Opposition and his reputation amongst social gathering employees, however Chennithala is staking his declare based mostly on seniority. Venugopal, however, is counting on his sturdy reference to the Congress excessive command, significantly his proximity to Rahul Gandhi.

A senior Congress chief stated, “The excessive command can take a choice, both after listening to the elected social gathering members, and even with out that. Additionally, there’s a precedent of the Opposition Chief being the pure alternative for the publish of Chief Minister. However there have additionally been exceptions to this. For instance, in Telangana, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had been the Opposition chief when the social gathering contested in 2023. After the Congress gained elections, Revanth Reddy was made Chief Minister and Vikramarka Deputy CM.”

Some Congress sources have questioned Venugopal’s transfer to affix the CM race. “If Venugopal is made CM, the social gathering must battle by-elections to the Meeting in addition to to the Lok Sabha. When the social gathering has a number of eligible members amongst these elected, what’s the justification for selling such a transfer? Days earlier, he was made the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament. Then why is he keenly eyeing the Kerala publish? In 2024, he fought the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala when he was a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan. Later, the BJP gained that seat in Rajasthan. Why does the social gathering meet his each demand?” requested a pacesetter.

The camps of the three leaders vying for the publish have already began taking a rely of the elected MLAs who might assist them within the occasion they should show a present of power. Many Congress MPs, who’re disgruntled over the denial of tickets to contest the Meeting election, are additionally a part of hectic lobbying.

“A lot of the legislators have been divided between Chennithala and Venugopal. Chennithala banks upon his outdated group, which he had inherited from Okay Karunakaran. A lot of the younger elected members are loyal to Venugopal. Whereas the folks’s mandate is for Satheesan, he doesn’t have a battery of legislators to parade earlier than the social gathering excessive command,” sources stated.

Chennithala, who was the social gathering’s CM face within the final election through which the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF retained energy, stated on Tuesday that he believed he had the assist of elected MLAs.

“The excessive command will resolve on the CM. If the management seeks the opinion of MLAs, I hope I’ll get the assist of a cushty variety of them. Within the 2011 elections, [Oommen] Chandy and I contested. Within the assembly of elected legislators, I had stated that he must be the Chief Minister, contemplating his seniority. I didn’t go for any race,” stated Chennithala, hinting at his seniority among the many contenders.

The Congress’s ally within the UDF, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), nevertheless, put its weight behind Satheesan. “Because the Opposition Chief, he has discharged his function in an exemplary method within the final 5 years. His Kerala yatra (which occurred earlier this 12 months) and the problems he had raised have been effectively accepted by the folks. We hope the Congress excessive command will take a choice after contemplating such components,” stated IUML president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal.

On the sidelines of the race for the CM publish, the Congress can be dealing with one other powerful name — deciding on the Cupboard ministers. Regardless of its numerical power, Congress is compelled to accommodate all UDF alliance companions within the Cupboard.