Kerala CM race: AICC observers arrive in state for talks with MLAs, allies

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress will begin the process of selecting Kerala’s new chief minister on Thursday, with AICC observers set to meet the newly elected MLAs, party leaders said.

AICC observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken arrived in the state capital on Wednesday evening. They are scheduled to take the views of newly elected MLAs on the choice of the next chief minister.

A party MLA said, “We have been asked to be present at the KPCC headquarters to attend the Congress Legislative Party meeting. They may hold individual one-to-one meeting with the MLAs.”

The MLA added that the observers will also meet leaders of Congress allies to seek their views on the chief minister before departing for New Delhi.

After arriving in Thiruvananthapuram, Wasnik and Maken visited the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) headquarters and held discussions with party veteran A K Antony and general secretary Deepa Das Munshi.

Later, Maken told reporters the CLP meeting will be held on Thursday and that both observers were in Kerala to attend it. “So, nothing more to say,” he said.

Wasnik said Munshi was the in-charge of Kerala and that he was not aware if anyone else had been asked to attend the meeting. “She can take a call on that. It is a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP),” he said.

The observers are in Kerala to consult Congress MLAs on the selection of the state’s chief minister. Senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan, and AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal are among the top contenders for the post. Chennithala and Satheesan were elected from Haripad and Paravoor constituencies respectively, while Venugopal did not contest the election.