Thiruvananthapuram: Amid the ongoing stalemate over a week after election results were announced, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has now called all former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders and its working presidents to New Delhi to weigh in on who Kerala’s next chief minister should be.
The invitation comes days after two AICC observers arrived here to collect the preferences of elected MLAs and alliance partners.
Party leaders invited to New Delhi include former KPCC presidents K. Sudhakaran, Mullappally Ramachandran, V.M. Sudheeran, and K. Muraleedharan. Besides this, KPCC working presidents Shafi Parambil and P.C. Vishnunath have also been invited to the Capital.
“I just got the message as a surprise and will go tomorrow. I will just meet the leadership. I will give proper explanations for the questions I will be asked,” former KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran told the media here Monday, adding that the invitation was a surprise.
Similarly, former KPCC president K. Muraleedharan also said he would go to Delhi from Thiruvananthapuram early Tuesday morning. Asked if the reason for the invitation was to discuss the chief minister’s appointment, he replied: “It should be. There is no need for them to call me there to discuss the weather. We will know properly tomorrow. I have already informed them about my decision.”
Muraleedharan, the MLA from Thiruvananthapuram’s Vattiyurkkavu, had earlier met the AICC observers Thursday. Later, the leader told the media that party cadres and leaders would accept any decision taken by the central leadership, adding that he hoped it would take public sentiment into consideration.
Congress had earlier announced that the party high command, especially Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, would announce the chief ministerial pick Sunday. This was scheduled after two party-appointed AICC observers, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, arrived in Kerala Thursday to collect the opinions of individual MLAs, other Congress leaders and alliance partners.
According to Congress sources, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal had secured the support of more than 40 of the 63 newly elected Congress MLAs, while V.D. Satheesan claimed the post due to his role in the Congress campaign and victory as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
Similarly, Ramesh Chennithala too claimed the post due to his long-standing experience within the Congress and seniority. Amid the discussion, many Congress cadres and supporters also took to the streets, staging demonstrations in support of their preferred leaders.
Rahul and Kharge along with other AICC leaders have up until this point held multiple discussions with the AICC observers and later also with the three contenders Saturday, but could not arrive at a decision.The discussions were discontinued Sunday as Rahul Gandhi travelled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Tamil Nadu CM Vijay, and Kharge returned to Bengaluru, before resuming Monday.
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