Congress-led MVA’s poor show in Maharashtra clouds Chennithala’s aspiration to become Kerala CM

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, the party’s in-charge for Maharashtra, is facing setbacks as vote counting continues in the state’s assembly elections on Saturday. Chennithala had hoped that a strong performance by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would boost his chances of securing the Chief Minister’s post in Kerala if the United Democratic Front (UDF) wins the 2026 elections.

The MVA, an alliance led by Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, was seen as a potential counterforce to the BJP. However, as vote counting progresses, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance—comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction—has taken a commanding position, securing lead in 220 out of the 288 seats.

The MVA’s slim chances of forming the government could undermine Chennithala’s hopes of leveraging a Maharashtra win to bolster his political ambitions in Kerala.

Confident before results
Before the results, Chennithala had expressed confidence in the MVA’s victory. “Maha Vikas Aghadi will form the government in the state with a majority... The CM face will be decided after the results, and a discussion will be held,” he said on Friday.

He had also criticised the BJP, accusing it of running a "jod tod ki sarkar" (government of defections). A win for the MVA, he believed, would have strengthened his position in the race for Kerala’s Chief Ministerial post.

Challenging road ahead
With by-elections in Palakkad, Chelakkara, and Wayanad also underway, the results from these constituencies will play a critical role in determining Chennithala’s standing against other contenders like K C Venugopal and V D Satheesan for the UDF’s 2026 Chief Ministerial race.