Kerala polls: Buzz over Congress’ CM candidate continues despite leadership’s efforts to rein it in Intra-party speculation about the Congress’ potential Chief Ministerial candidate for Kerala, should the United Democratic Front (UDF) secure victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, remains a focal point of political discourse despite attempts by party leaders to suppress such discussions. Veteran Congress leader P.J. Kurien, a former Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha, recently amplified the debate by publicly endorsing Ramesh Chennithala as the likely choice for the post. Kurien’s remarks, delivered at a UDF election convention in Thiruvalla, Kottayam, sparked renewed speculation about the internal dynamics of the Congress leadership. Kurien asserted that the UDF would win the polls on May 4, the scheduled result day, and directly linked Chennithala’s candidacy to the outcome. “I have no doubt that Mr. Chennithala will be the Chief Minister,” Kurien stated, adding that Chennithala might protest the claim, arguing that the final decision rests with the party’s High Command. His comments were met with mixed reactions, with some media outlets suggesting that senior Congress leaders, including K. Sudhakaran, had quietly supported Chennithala over rival candidates like Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal. Chennithala, however, downplayed Kurien’s assertion, aligning himself with the AICC’s stance that the national High Command, in consultation with the Congress Legislative Party (CLP), would determine the final choice. He emphasized that the party’s primary focus should be on winning the elections, stating, “The Congress and the UDF are marching in lockstep to end Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule.#congress #udf #kottayam #ramesh_chennithala #kerala_polls
