|
Following the decisive victory of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Keralam Assembly polls, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph on Saturday confirmed that the final decision regarding the next Chief Minister rests entirely with the party High Command in Delhi.
The UDF secured a thumping majority with 102 seats in the 140-member assembly, unseating the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF after a decade in power. Speaking to ANI, Joseph said, "It will take its own time. The high command will announce at an appropriate time... There are no barriers at all, everything is solved... It is up to the high command." His remarks come amid ongoing discussions within the Congress regarding leadership in Kerala. Earlier, Congress leader Deepa Dasmunshi on Saturday said that the party leadership, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, held detailed discussions regarding the situation in Keralam following recent incidents involving party workers. Speaking to reporters after the Kerala Congress meeting in Delhi, Dasmunshi said that the leadership held extended deliberations from 4 pm onwards, during which multiple leaders spoke individually with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, seeking guidance from the central leadership. She noted that while the party had secured a "landslide majority" in Keralam, some "overenthusiastic workers" and "unruly incidents" were reported in the last 2-3 days, which she said do not reflect Congress culture. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader PJ Kurien has said the Congress was capable of handling any political situation, including by-elections, amid ongoing discussions over leadership and cabinet formation. "Congress has the strength to face not just one, but any number of by-elections. Opinions of elected representatives reflect public opinion," Kurien said in Pathanamthitta while responding to questions on the Chief Ministerial choice. Congress leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala are seen to be key contenders for the post of Chief Minister. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan has criticised the Congress over what he described as visible infighting over the Chief Ministerial post. (ANI)
|
