Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has reportedly decided not to join the council of ministers after the party selected V D Satheesan as its chief ministerial pick in Kerala following days of intense internal lobbying.
Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has emerged as a key focus in the aftermath of the Congress party’s decision to appoint V D Satheesan as its leader in Kerala.
Sources said Chennithala informed party leaders that he would not join the new council of ministers. He reportedly expressed disappointment over being “avoided and ignored” despite maintaining discipline during the prolonged leadership contest.
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The Congress on Thursday ended a ten-day deadlock by officially naming Satheesan as its chief ministerial pick during the Congress Legislature Party meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram. The leadership battle had involved Satheesan, Chennithala and K C Venugopal.
While Venugopal was believed to have strong backing among Congress MLAs and MPs, the final round of consultations reportedly shifted in favour of Satheesan after senior leaders and UDF allies pushed for his selection.
During the leadership discussions, Rahul Gandhi held meetings with several Kerala Congress leaders in an attempt to break the deadlock and arrive at a consensus.
Political observers now expect the Congress leadership to focus on balancing internal equations and cabinet formation, especially after Chennithala’s reported decision to stay out of the ministry.
Published: 14 May 2026, 12:37 pm IST
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