Kerala CM race: Congress MLAs leave decision to party high command

After UDF's historic win in Kerala, newly elected Congress MLAs passed a resolution authorising the AICC to appoint the CLP leader, effectively leaving the choice of the next Chief Minister to the party's central leadership in Delhi.

Following the United Democratic Front's (UDF) historic win in the 2026 Kerala Assembly Polls, the state Congress unit has formally moved the decision-making process for the next Chief Minister to the party's central leadership.

Congress High Command to Appoint Next Kerala CM

In a crucial Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting held at Indira Bhavan on Thursday, the newly elected MLAs passed a single-line resolution authorising the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to appoint the CLP leader. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph, who led the party's successful campaign, confirmed that the legislators have left the final call to the party's top brass. "We authorise the AICC to take the decision with regard to the CLP leader. It is upto the AICC to decide", he said.

Earlier, following a high-stakes Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Keralam, State Congress In-charge Deepa Dasmunshi on Thursday confirmed that the local leadership has officially deferred the final decision regarding key leadership roles to the party's national leadership in Delhi. The meeting, held amidst intense speculation regarding the party's leadership in the state, concluded with a unanimous resolution. The CLP has passed a formal resolution authorising the Congress High Command to make the final call on leadership appointments.

Chandy Oommen Defers to Party Leadership

Meanwhile, Congress MLA-elect Chandy Oommen said the party leadership would take the "right decision" regarding the Chief Ministerial face in Keralam following consultations with newly elected MLAs during the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. Speaking to reporters after attending the CLP meeting held at the Keralam Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office, Chandy Oommen, the son of late Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, refrained from publicly commenting on leadership preferences and said he had already conveyed his views to the party leadership. "I have said to the party leadership. I don't want to comment in public. My leadership will decide at the right time," Oommen, who secured a landslide victory, defeating CPI(M)'s K M Radhakrishnan by a huge margin of more than 52,000 votes in the Assembly elections.

UDF Secures Historic Mandate

The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member Keralam Assembly, ending a decade-long rule of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Congress emerged as the single-largest party in the alliance with 63 seats, while its ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), secured 22 seats. (ANI)

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