VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala THIRUVANANTHAMPURAM: The contest to pick Congress legislature party chief in Kerala entered a decisive stretch Wednesday as AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik reached the state to sound out newly elected MLAs. Senior state functionaries have been asked to be in New Delhi after Thursday’s meeting, with the high command aiming to seal the choice by Sunday. Three contenders — KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala — have stepped up lobbying across 63-member Congress bloc. Rival camps circulated competing claims of support, with Venugopal’s side pegging its numbers at 43 MLAs, while Satheesan and Chennithala factions projected 35 and 22, respectively. Chennithala travelled to New Delhi and met senior Congress politicians, including Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. . The visit was officially linked to organisational work in Maharashtra, but party sources said he pressed his claim for the CM’s post. A parallel push for Satheesan gathered pace, with coordinated messages and emails reaching Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, reflecting the intensity of the internal contest despite Congress-led UDF’s blowout mandate of 103 seats in the 140-member House. Congress brass is disinclined to hold a formal headcount. Instead, observers will conduct one-to-one consultations with MLAs before the legislature party meets at 10.30am Thursday at KPCC headquarters. The CLP is expected to pass a resolution authorising party president to take the final call. Fault lines have surfaced. Satheesan camp has objected to the role of AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunshi, alleging bias toward Venugopal and opposing her involvement in MLA consultations. For Congress, managing political fallout is a central concern, with fears of grassroots backlash if the final pick cuts against expectations within key factions.About the AuthorRajiv GRajiv G is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Times of India, bringing over two decades of journalistic experience and editorial expertise to the newsroom. He began his journey in 1998 with The Indian Express in Coimbatore before moving on to Deccan Chronicle in Hyderabad and later The New Indian Express in Hyderabad and Bangalore, and later in Kerala where he spent a decade covering some of the most defining stories. Since joining The Times of India in 2011, Rajiv has been at the forefront of reporting on Kerala’s health and political landscape. His sustained coverage of the health sector since 2005 has contributed to public awareness and policy discourse, while his political reporting since 2008 has provided readers with sharp, well-informed perspectives. His work has been widely recognized, earning him honors from the Indian Medical Association, the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association, and the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association. He was also conferred the *Best Reporter Award* by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, where he has held leadership roles as Secretary and President.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Congress Will Be Wiped Out Everywhere’: DMK Warns Cong Over Support To Vijay’s TVK2 Dead, 200+ FIRs, 433 Arrested, Over 1100 Detained In Post-Poll Violence In West Bengal‘Asked Me To Pay Rs 5 Crore’: Ex-Cricketer Makes Shocking Claim On TMC After Bengal PollsPakistan Navy Helps Stranded Indian Ship In Arabian Sea After Distress Call: ReportTVK Emerges Largest, But Vijay Needs Critical Backing To Form Govt; Will He Succeed?Election Commission Blocks 68 Lakh Cyber Attacks; ECINET Handles Record Traffic on Counting Day‘Directly Promoting ISI Narrative’: BJP Slams Bhagwant Mann’s Remark On Punjab BlastsIndia–Vietnam Upgrade Ties | $25 Billion Trade Push, UPI Link & Big Strategic Signal to China‘Shortage Of Funds’: Akhilesh Yadav Reveals Why SP Ended Contract With I-PAC Ahead Of UP PollsTeesta Issue Explained: Can Bengal Result Unlock Deal As China Factor Raises Stakes123PhotostoriesHow to make Oats, Besan, and Chaach Chilla for a light summer breakfastAre you storing fruits all wrong? 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THIRUVANANTHAMPURAM: The contest to pick Congress legislature party chief in Kerala entered a decisive stretch Wednesday as AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik reached the state to sound out newly elected MLAs. Senior state functionaries have been asked to be in New Delhi after Thursday’s meeting, with the high command aiming to seal the choice by Sunday. Three contenders — KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala — have stepped up lobbying across 63-member Congress bloc. Rival camps circulated competing claims of support, with Venugopal’s side pegging its numbers at 43 MLAs, while Satheesan and Chennithala factions projected 35 and 22, respectively. Chennithala travelled to New Delhi and met senior Congress politicians, including Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
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The visit was officially linked to organisational work in Maharashtra, but party sources said he pressed his claim for the CM’s post. A parallel push for Satheesan gathered pace, with coordinated messages and emails reaching Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, reflecting the intensity of the internal contest despite Congress-led UDF’s blowout mandate of 103 seats in the 140-member House. Congress brass is disinclined to hold a formal headcount. Instead, observers will conduct one-to-one consultations with MLAs before the legislature party meets at 10.30am Thursday at KPCC headquarters. The CLP is expected to pass a resolution authorising party president to take the final call. Fault lines have surfaced. Satheesan camp has objected to the role of AICC general secretary in charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunshi, alleging bias toward Venugopal and opposing her involvement in MLA consultations. For Congress, managing political fallout is a central concern, with fears of grassroots backlash if the final pick cuts against expectations within key factions.
