THE Congress will announce its chief ministerial pick in Keralam on Thursday, the party said here after days of suspense, intense lobbying and marathon discussions. After an almost 40-minute meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter’s residence, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the decision on the next Keralam Chief Minister will be announced on Thursday as the party high command has completed all discussions in this regard. The suspense over the party’s pick would end 10 days after the results of the assembly elections were declared. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had won over two-thirds majority in the Keralam Assembly polls. “As authorised by the members of the CLP in Kerala, the high command of the Congress has completed all discussions, and the decision on who the next Chief Minister of Keralam will be will be announced tomorrow,” Ramesh said. All democratic practices and processes will be followed in announcing the Chief Minister’s name, a senior leader, who did not wish to be named, said, indicating that the CM nominee may be revealed in Kerala.

 

AICC general secretary for organisation, K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Keralam Assembly, V D Satheesan, and senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala are among those in the race for the post. The party has been grappling with its chief ministerial pick and has held several rounds of discussions with local leaders and former party chiefs in the state. Rahul Gandhi had previously met several leaders from Keralam and around eight former State unit chiefs to ascertain the ground situation. Protests at the ground level by party workers had prompted the party leadership to hold discussions with state leaders before finalising the next Chief Minister. Congress’ allies in the UDF favour Satheesan, who also enjoys huge support among the public as well as party workers on the ground. However, with the powerful AICC general secretary Venugopal throwing his hat in the ring, the choice has not been easy for the party high command. Keralam is the fourth southern State where the Congress is in power. It has governments in Karnataka and Telangana and has joined hands with the ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu after the recent polls.