The Congress party’s leadership deadlock in Kerala was finally resolved after several days of intense discussions, internal negotiations, and consultations involving the party’s top leadership in Delhi. The process, which lasted nearly nine days after the Kerala Assembly election results were announced, eventually ended with senior Congress leader VD Satheesan being chosen as the next Chief Minister of Kerala.
According to party sources, the breakthrough came after Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi personally stepped in to settle the issue. The Congress high command had reportedly been struggling to reach a consensus because multiple senior leaders were competing for the Chief Minister’s post, and none of them were willing to withdraw their claims.
As the uncertainty continued, Congress observers including Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik were sent to Kerala to gather feedback from MLAs and party leaders. Several leaders were later called to Delhi to discuss the matter directly with Rahul Gandhi. After hearing different opinions, Rahul Gandhi reportedly held further consultations with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge before delaying the final announcement.
At that stage, Sonia Gandhi decided to consult one of the Congress party’s most respected and experienced leaders from Kerala — AK Antony. Party insiders say that one important phone conversation between Sonia Gandhi and Antony played a decisive role in ending the stalemate.
AK Antony, known for his clean image and strong influence within the Congress party, has long been considered one of Sonia Gandhi’s closest political advisors. The former Kerala Chief Minister and former Union Minister has built a reputation for simplicity, discipline, and integrity over several decades in politics.
Sources revealed that Antony advised the Congress leadership against appointing KC Venugopal as Chief Minister. He reportedly explained that such a move would create unnecessary political complications because Venugopal is currently a Member of Parliament. If he became Chief Minister, two by-elections would have to be conducted — one for his parliamentary seat and another for the Assembly constituency of the MLA who would vacate their position to accommodate him.
Antony reportedly warned that holding two by-elections immediately after the general elections could become politically risky for the Congress party. He suggested that avoiding fresh electoral battles at this stage would be the smarter option.
He also argued that the people of Kerala had largely viewed VD Satheesan as the face of the Congress campaign during the election. According to sources, Antony told Sonia Gandhi that many alliance partners within the United Democratic Front also preferred Satheesan for the top post. Imposing a leader from Delhi instead of a local face could send the wrong political message, he reportedly said.
After considering Antony’s advice, Sonia Gandhi is believed to have finalized the decision in favor of VD Satheesan. The Congress leadership then asked Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to speak with KC Venugopal and convince him to continue handling responsibilities in Delhi.
Following the discussions, the party officially moved ahead with VD Satheesan’s appointment as the next Chief Minister of Kerala. Congress observers and state leaders are now expected to oversee his formal election as the leader of the legislative party.
