'Kaun Banega Kerala CM?' The question has been lingering in the minds of the people of the state and political watchers alike as the suspense over the Congress's chief-ministerial nominee prevailed on Sunday, with the party high command yet to announce its decision.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi are seized of the matter and the name is likely to be announced soon, sources said.
Congress leader K Muraleedharan said the party workers are bound to accept the high command's decision regarding the selection of the next chief minister of Kerala.
Responding to reporters' questions in Thiruvananthapuram, Muraleedharan said the current debate over the chief minister's post has not overshadowed the United Democratic Front's (UDF) electoral victory in the southern state.
The top brass of the Congress held a meeting for more than three hours in Delhi on Saturday to discuss government formation in Kerala.
The meeting convened by Kharge at his residence was attended by Gandhi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi, general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and senior leaders from the state Ramesh Chennithala and VD Satheesan.
Venugopal, Satheesan and Chennithala are considered to be the frontrunners for the chief minister's post.
"Everyone expressed their views and Rahulji heard them patiently. The final decision on the chief minister will be taken by the Congress high command and whatever decision is made will be accepted by all," Chennithala had said after the meeting.
Kerala Congress chief Sunny Joseph and senior observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik were also present at the meeting.
"Very soon, in due time, we will get our final decision from our high command," Dasmunshi had told reporters after the meeting when asked about the new chief minister of Kerala.
"Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will take the final decision," she had said when asked as to "who in the high command will take the call".
"All Congress MLAs have signed a one-line resolution, authorising the high command to make the final decision," Dasmunshi had said.
Referring to protests by various factions in the Congress-led UDF alliance in Kerala for the last two days over the issue of the party's chief-ministerial nominee, she had said some unruly incidents have happened and those are not part of the Congress culture.
"May 23 is the last day. I think in due time, we will get the final decision from our high command and we are waiting for that. In due time, the due course of action will be taken. The final decision has to be taken by the high command," Dasmunshi had said.
She was flanked by Congress leaders from Kerala.
Satheesan had said the Congress has scored a historic win in the Kerala Assembly polls due to the hard work of all workers but subsequently, there have been demonstrations, social-media campaigns and even flexboards have come up regarding the selection of the chief minister, creating an image of divisions in the party.
"All of us are requesting together that please do not carry out such demonstrations and campaigns for anyone of us. It will hurt the Congress workers, the UDF activists and the large number of people who have voted for us," he had said.
Endorsing his views, Venugopal had said people have given a huge victory to the party and they want a UDF government that would work for them. "There have been some unfortunate incidents. These should be ended," he had said.
The sources have said a majority of the party MLAs are in favour of Venugopal occupying the top post, while the public's choice is Satheesan.
Supporters of both Venugopal and Satheesan have put up posters and banners of their leaders in Delhi as well as in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram. Some university students in Delhi have also shown strong support for Satheesan, welcoming him upon his late-night arrival in the national capital. Posters of Venugopal as the next chief minister have also come up outside Kharge's residence.
The UDF has won a total of 102 seats, which is more than a two-thirds majority. The Congress has 63 MLAs in the 140-member Kerala Assembly.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has 22 legislators and the alliance partner's opinion will matter. The Kerala Congress (KEC) has won eight seats and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) three in the just-concluded polls.
(With inputs from PTI)