AICC begins consultations with Kerala leaders in New Delhi to decide on Congress’ CM candidate

Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge opened consultations with prime leaders from Kerala in Novel Delhi on Tuesday (Would possibly maybe well 12, 2026) in a advise to determined the cloud of uncertainty over the catch together’s Chief Minister nominee for Kerala. 

Confronted with a dwindling window of time to create the foremost and prolonged-drawn-out option, the high expose, per a catch together insider, is reportedly looking out for out bipartisan enhance of prime leaders, alongside with damaged-down Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) presidents, to restore the interval of organisational and alliance stability, which delivered the Congress the momentous acquire. 

The marathon meetings which unfolded at Ms. Gandhi’s web squawk in 10 Janpath reportedly weighed the possibilities of All India Congress Committee  total secretary Okay.C. Venugopal, reportedly backed by a necessary various of Congress MLAs-elect; senior Congress leader V.D. Satheesan, projected by his camp because the architect of the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) historic acquire in Kerala; and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, touted by his supporters as having prolonged organisational and administrative ride and enhance of highly effective social organisations, who’re the necessary contenders for the prime put up. A KPCC insider acknowledged Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP, modified into moreover catch together to the talks. 

Okay. Muraleedharan, damaged-down KPCC president and MLA-elect, who’s an invitee to the AICC’s consultations in Novel Delhi, looked not to rule out the seemingly of a dejected horse for the Chief Minister’s mantle. 

Talking to reporters earlier than the meeting, Mr Muraleedharan acknowledged the AICC’s consultation needn’t necessarily be confined to “three names”.  He acknowledged the period of the triumvirate of Okay. Karunakaran, A.Okay. Antony, and Oommen Chandy within the Congress in Kerala modified into over. “2d-tier leaders from the time of the three Chief Ministers have reached the prime echelons of the catch together in Kerala. The generational shift offers the high expose extra latitude to create the true various,” he added. 

Mr Muraleedharan acknowledged that “numbers within the Congress Legislature Birthday party had been not the sole real criterion for deciding the subsequent Chief Minister.” He acknowledged the high expose would moreover ingredient in “popular thought” within the topic. 

When asked whether “importing a roam-setter from Novel Delhi who’s not an MLA-elect would threat a byelection,” Mr. Muraleedharan told reporters that the high expose would “weigh all beneficial properties.”  

He acknowledged acknowledged UDF allies, alongside with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), would have a obvious divulge within the various for the Chief Minister’s put up. “It’s UDF’s Chief Minister, not Congress’ on my own,” he added. 

Senior leader and damaged-down Residence Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters in Novel Delhi that the IUML, which reportedly named its various for the put up, would not rob a maximalist region and would slide by the high expose’s option.

Meanwhile, Left Democratic Front convener T.P. Ramakrishnan fended off questions in regards to the Communist Birthday party of India (Marxist)’s Chief of the Opposition by bringing up that “let the Congress mediate its Chief Minister.”