Congress Keeps Kerala CM Decision Pending After Marathon Delhi Meeting

New Delhi, May 2026 : The suspense surrounding the Congress party’s choice for the next Chief Minister of Kerala continued on Saturday night after nearly three hours of high-level discussions at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital.

Senior party leaders indicated that no final decision had been reached despite extensive consultations involving Kerala’s top Congress leadership. According to party sources, the ultimate decision on the Chief Ministerial post will be taken jointly by Kharge and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The meeting was attended by key Kerala Congress leaders, including V. D. Satheesan, K. C. Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala, all of whom are considered major contenders for the top post following the Congress-led United Democratic Front’s strong electoral performance in Kerala.

Despite prolonged deliberations and several rounds of consultations, the Congress leadership refrained from making any official announcement, suggesting that more internal discussions may still take place before a consensus is reached.

Speaking to reporters after the closed-door meeting, AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi said the party still had sufficient time to finalise the leadership issue.

“The name will be announced in due course. We have time till May 23, so the announcement can happen any time before that,” she said.

Dasmunshi also stressed that the party leadership was carefully evaluating every aspect before arriving at a final decision on who would lead the new government in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the ongoing uncertainty over the Chief Ministerial choice appeared to trigger emotional reactions among party workers in parts of Kerala. Addressing reporters outside Kharge’s residence, Satheesan appealed for calm and restraint among Congress supporters.

“There have been some unfortunate incidents in the form of protests. We appeal to all our party workers and supporters to maintain restraint and stop such activities henceforth,” he said.

His appeal was supported by both Venugopal and Chennithala, who also urged party workers to remain patient and preserve unity within the organisation during the sensitive leadership selection process.

After briefly interacting with the media, all three senior leaders returned once again to Kharge’s residence before leaving later in the evening, indicating that discussions continued even after the formal meeting concluded.

Chennithala later confirmed that he would return to Kerala on Sunday and stated that all relevant matters had been discussed with the central leadership.

“We have discussed everything with the national leadership. Now they will make their decision,” he said.

While speculation continues to intensify over who holds the edge in the race for Chief Minister, Congress insiders maintained that the leadership is determined to ensure that the final decision projects unity, consensus and organisational stability.

For now, Kerala remains in wait as the Congress leadership continues its delicate balancing exercise before announcing the next Chief Minister “in due course.”