New Delhi: During a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday night, senior leader V M Sudheeran reportedly took a firm stance, stating that V D Satheesan should be appointed Chief Minister as that is the clear mandate of the people of Kerala.

The High Command decided to consult senior leaders before making an official announcement after K C Venugopal emerged as the sole frontrunner for the post. This decision followed a suggestion by Working Committee member A K Antony.

While leaders such as A P Anil Kumar, P C Vishnunath, Shafi Parambil, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, K Sudhakaran and M M Hassan—who arrived in Delhi recently—backed Venugopal, K Muraleedharan maintained that the public sentiment in favour of Satheesan must be respected.

The High Command, which had initially leaned towards Venugopal, found itself in a dilemma following the discussions with Sudheeran. Consequently, before Rahul Gandhi meets Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, he has summoned A K Antony, Mullappally Ramachandran and Kodikunnil Suresh for further talks. It is understood that leaders including Mullappally have also advised that public sentiment should be honoured.

‘Never seen such public sentiment before’

"Having witnessed numerous elections and the formation of many ministries, I have never seen public sentiment quite like this. Everyone, from housewives to senior citizens, is behind Satheesan. If he is not made Chief Minister, the party will have to face their protests. The popular support for Satheesan cannot be dismissed as a pre-planned campaign," Sudheeran reportedly told the highcommand.

What will be the deciding factor?

If the majority among the Legislative Party, MPs and senior leaders is the primary criteria, K C Venugopal is likely to become the CM. However, if public sentiment is the priority, Satheesan holds the advantage. Should a compromise be sought, Ramesh Chennithala’s prospects may brighten.

If the decision is made to appoint Satheesan over Venugopal, the High Command will need to convince the Legislative Party.

Chennithala’s supporters believe that if Venugopal withdraws, the Legislative Party's support will shift in his favour—a view shared by some within the Venugopal camp as well.