As Congress Delays Kerala CM Announcement, BJP Suggests A Name

Last Updated:May 11, 2026, 16:04 IST

Reacting to the post, former Union Minister and Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar replied, “I will neither confirm nor deny that this is true."

Kerala CM deadlock: The suspense over who will become Kerala’s next Chief Minister continues as the Congress leadership is yet to announce its final decision despite several rounds of discussions in the national capital.

The delay has sparked intense political debate within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), with supporters of senior leaders VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala openly backing their preferred candidates through protests, posters and demonstrations in Kerala and Delhi.

Amid the political tug of war, the BJP’s Kerala unit also appeared to hint at its preferred candidate.

A post on X mocked the Congress leadership struggle by saying, “Hilarious tough fight between Kerala BJP and national BJP. Kerala BJP wants KC Venugopal in Kerala, national BJP wants KC Venugopal in Delhi."

The post suggested that BJP leadership may want Venugopal to remain in the national capital as he poses little political threat to them there, while the Kerala BJP too would prefer him as Chief Minister for similar reasons in the state.

Reacting to the post, former Union Minister and Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar replied, “I will neither confirm nor deny that this is true," along with laughing and zipper-mouth emojis.

His response quickly drew attention on social media and added another twist to the ongoing political drama over the Kerala Chief Minister’s post.

What’s Happening In Kerala?

The Congress-led UDF secured a commanding 102 out of 140 Assembly seats, marking a historic comeback after a decade and reducing the Left Democratic Front to just 35 seats. However, the victory quickly gave way to infighting, as supporters of key politicians intensified their push for the top post.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) has staged a decisive comeback in Kerala, returning to power after a decade. But even before the celebrations have settled, the spotlight has swiftly shifted to the big question of selecting the Chief Minister.

Three prominent names are doing the rounds as the frontrunners for the post of Kerala Chief Minister are VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala. The situation has all the ingredients of a classic Congress power struggle – organisational heft versus legislative leadership, generational shift versus experience, and Delhi’s influence versus the state unit’s preference.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi held separate and joint meetings on Saturday with AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan, and KPCC president Sunny Joseph.

The consultations, which lasted for more than three hours, were attended by AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik.

The reports indicate that the Congress leadership is deliberately taking time to ensure consensus and prevent further embarrassment after the party’s emphatic win in Kerala.

News india As Congress Delays Kerala CM Announcement, BJP Suggests A Name

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