AICC observers meet Congress MLAs on next Kerala CM

Thiruvananthapuram, May 7 (PTI) Amid a triangular contest for the Chief Minister’s post in Congress' Kerala unit, AICC observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken on Thursday held consultations with party MLAs here to seek their opinions on the selection of the next CM after the party-led UDF’s victory in the Assembly elections.

The CLP passed a resolution authorising its high command to decide on the CM pick, party sources said here.
At present, senior Congress leaders VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal are being considered for the top post.


Responding to reporters after the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, Wasnik said there was an atmosphere of jubilation as the Congress victory in the Assembly election was “remarkable” and “historic”.

“It is a matter of great joy, and in this atmosphere the meeting took place,” he said.

Asked whether it was a tough or easy decision for the AICC observers to make on the next Kerala Chief Minister, Wasnik did not give a clear answer.

“We are here to meet our colleagues and party MLAs. The meeting went on very well. The first item the Congress legislators decided was to unanimously pass a resolution, which was moved by KPCC president Sunny Joseph and seconded by the existing CLP leader V D Satheesan, authorising the Congress president to decide on the next CLP leader,” he said.

Maken said the resolution was passed in the CLP meeting.

“Let us see what happens next,” he said.

Maken said the party leadership wanted one-on-one discussions with all MLAs.

“We held discussions with all MLAs. In the evening, we are leaving for Delhi. We will submit our report. We are hopeful that a decision will be taken soon. Everyone has left it to the leadership to decide,” Maken said.

UDF secured 102 seats out of the 140 constituencies in the state assembly election held on April 9.

The Congress, which won 63 seats, convened the meeting at Indira Bhavan here amid intense discussions over the party's chief ministerial choice.

Following the adoption of the resolution, the AICC observers began individual meetings with MLAs to seek their views on the leadership issue, sources said.

Senior Congress leaders and newly elected legislators attended the closed-door meeting.

After the meeting, KPCC president Sunny Joseph told reporters that all 63 newly elected Congress MLAs attended, along with AICC observers and state in-charge Deepa Dasmunsi.

He said the CLP unanimously passed a resolution authorising the AICC president to decide the next CLP leader, who will become the next Chief Minister of the state.

“The resolution has been informed to the AICC. Later, the observers met individually with MLAs and recorded their opinions. They will return to New Delhi and give the information to the high command, after which a proper decision will be taken,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Wasnik and Maken held discussions with senior leaders including V M Sudheeran, K Sudhakaran, Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan.

The observers are expected to submit a report to the party high command, which will take the final decision on who will be the chief minister of Kerala.

The observers will also meet UDF ally leaders.

At present, senior Congress leaders V D Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal are being considered for the top post.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)