Rajeev Sharma :- Ending days of political suspense over the leadership issue in Kerala, the Congress high command on Thursday officially announced V. D. Satheesan as the new Chief Minister of the state. The decision was finalised after extensive consultations with senior leaders of the party’s Kerala unit.
The announcement was made at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi by party observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, along with Kerala in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi. Senior Congress leader Satheesan’s name had emerged as the frontrunner following several rounds of discussions within the party.
Apart from Satheesan, Congress organisation general secretary K. C. Venugopal and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala were also considered strong contenders for the top post.
Earlier, on May 7, the Congress Legislature Party had passed a resolution authorising the party high command to select its leader in the Assembly. The move paved the way for the central leadership to take the final call on the chief ministerial candidate.
The leadership decision comes after the Congress-led United Democratic Front registered a decisive victory in the recently concluded Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 out of the 140 seats in the state. Satheesan is now expected to take charge of the new government in the coming days.
