New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress leadership on Saturday began crucial discussions in New Delhi to decide the next chief minister of Kerala, six days after the United Democratic Front’s sweeping 2026 Assembly election victory.

The high-level meeting, held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, began at 4 pm and is being attended by senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, V D Satheesan, K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president Sunny Joseph. AICC observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken, who submitted their report to Kharge on Friday, are also part of the discussions.

The newly elected MLAs had met the observers at Indira Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. The observers also held discussions with Congress MPs and leaders of allied parties later in the evening.

Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan said discussions on the chief ministerial candidate are expected to be completed within 24 hours. He stressed the need for unity after the party’s return to power following a decade.

Sunny Joseph said the Congress leadership was expected to arrive at a final decision at the earliest to facilitate the swearing-in ceremony.

VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and Sunny Joseph reached Delhi late on Friday night amid intense political activity and lobbying over the chief minister’s post.

Satheesan received a grand welcome from League and MSF workers at Kerala House, where supporters draped shawls over him, carried him on their shoulders and celebrated the UDF victory by cutting a cake. In contrast, MSF workers raised slogans against Sunny Joseph upon his arrival, reflecting growing factional tensions within the Congress-led alliance as the leadership race gathers momentum.