Overview
- Satheesan, named chief minister Thursday, will lead the Congress-led United Democratic Front to the governor to stake claim to form the government.
- The Congress Legislature Party had authorised the high command to choose the leader, and consultations in New Delhi with Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and AICC observers ended the impasse.
- Reports said most of the 63 Congress MLAs privately backed KC Venugopal, but the Indian Union Muslim League and other UDF partners pressed for Satheesan, as party workers mounted street and social media campaigns in his favour.
- After the announcement, Satheesan called for unity and vowed to take rivals into confidence, Venugopal publicly accepted the decision, and reports indicated Ramesh Chennithala felt sidelined and may skip a cabinet role.
- The BJP claimed the choice showed League influence and called it appeasement politics, while the UDF prepares its cabinet after winning 102 of 140 seats and ending a decade of Left rule.