Kerala CM Selection: Rahul Gandhi meets former Congress chiefs

The Congress party has begun internal consultations to decide the next Chief Minister of Kerala following its recent electoral performance in the state.

As part of the process, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) presidents in New Delhi to discuss possible leadership options and build consensus within the party.

The meeting is part of a wider effort by the Congress high command to avoid internal divisions and arrive at a unified decision on the state’s top leadership post.

According to party sources, three senior leaders are currently seen as frontrunners in the Kerala Chief Minister race — V D Satheesan, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, and senior leader K C Venugopal.

The discussions involve multiple layers of consultation, including former KPCC chiefs and central leadership figures, as the party aims to balance regional equations and factional interests.

Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are also believed to be part of the broader consultation process, indicating the importance of the decision for the party’s state strategy.

However, no final decision has been announced yet, and deliberations are still ongoing in Delhi.

The Congress leadership is expected to continue discussions in the coming days before formally announcing the new Kerala Chief Minister.a