The Congress high command has appointed senior leader Satheesan as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, ending nearly 10 days of uncertainty over the choice of leader.
Kerala went to Assembly polls on April 9. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 102 of the 140 seats to form the government, while the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front suffered a heavy defeat and lost power. Following the results, Pinarayi Vijayan resigned as Chief Minister.
With the UDF returning to office, the question of who would lead the government triggered intense competition among senior Congress leaders, including Venugopal, Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala, delaying a final decision.
After consultations with Kerala MLAs and alliance partners, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi finalised Satheesan’s name. The decision was officially announced in New Delhi by Kerala Congress in-charge Deepa Dasmunsi.
Dasmunsi said the Congress Legislature Party had earlier resolved to unanimously accept the person approved by Kharge as the new leader in the Assembly. She is expected to meet the Governor along with Congress MLAs to stake claim for government formation, ahead of a swearing-in ceremony attended by senior leaders and allies. Satheesan, a six-time MLA from Paravur, served as Leader of the Opposition for the past five years.
