The Congress on Tuesday appointed AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik and party treasurer Ajay Maken as observers to gather feedback from newly elected MLAs in Kerala for deciding the party’s chief ministerial nominee.

The two leaders are expected to travel to Kerala once the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting is scheduled. They will interact with MLAs to assess support for the CLP leader, who will effectively become the next chief minister. As per party practice, the views of elected MLAs are sought, but the final decision will be taken by the central leadership.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan, senior CWC member Ramesh Chennithala and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal are among the frontrunners for the post.

A day after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a decisive victory, Venugopal reached New Delhi and was received by party workers at the airport. He later held a series of meetings with senior Congress leaders as discussions on government formation gathered pace.

The UDF won 102 of the 140 Assembly seats, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party with 63 seats, ending a decade-long rule of the Left government in the state.