As Kerala entered the 11th day since the announcement of the Assembly election results, reports emerged that the Congress high command had reached a consensus on the Chief Ministerial candidate on Wednesday itself, and that the name was initially expected to be announced through a press note later that evening.

However, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, later told the media that the announcement would instead be made on Thursday. Uncertainty meanwhile remains over whether the formal announcement would be made in Delhi or Kerala. AICC Kerala in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi and three party observers are expected to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on a chartered flight. Senior leader V D Satheesan, considered a frontrunner for the post, left for Thiruvananthapuram with his family. Party allies and constituent leaders will also reach Thiruvananthapuram today. 

Sources said the Parliamentary party meeting, which was earlier scheduled for 1 pm, had been postponed as the timing of the chartered flight was yet to be confirmed. As per party procedure, the Chief Minister’s name is expected to be formally presented before the meeting.

The Congress high command has also reportedly asked party leaders and workers to react with restraint once the decision is announced and to avoid either excessive celebration or public anger over the choice. Sources further said the Congress had contacted the Governor’s office seeking an appointment, though no official confirmation has been issued so far.

Meanwhile, early Thursday morning, Congress leader K C Venugopal, considered one of the frontrunners for the post, arrived at the residence of Rahul Gandhi in Delhi for a one-on-one meeting. Venugopal did not respond to questions from reporters before entering the residence.

Party workers, supporters and media personnel also gathered outside the residences of leaders, including Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan, awaiting the official announcement on the Chief Ministerial decision.

In what began as a three-way race between Satheesan, Venugopal and Chennithala, the choice appears to have narrowed down, with Chennithala indicating that he would abide by the high command’s decision. Jairam Ramesh had made the announcement after a meeting between the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at Kharge’s residence on Wednesday.

While initial indications favoured Venugopal, who had the backing of MLAs, there are growing signs that the high command has now zeroed in on Satheesan. Though no formal announcement confirming the same was made, reactions from political parties and community organisations appeared to point in that direction.

For instance, Nair Service Society (NSS) general secretary G Sukumaran Nair convened a press conference shortly after Jairam Ramesh’s announcement and lashed out at the Indian Union Muslim League for allegedly interfering in the Congress’s internal affairs. The unusually sharp response from the NSS supremo, who had previously been open about his dislike for Satheesan, suggested an outcome in the latter’s favour.

Meanwhile, the Muslim League’s decision to call off a high-level meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening added to the speculation. It was widely believed that the meeting would see the League leadership discuss its next course of action and potentially signal dissent over the delay in naming the Chief Minister. The cancellation of the meeting suggested that the party may have received assurances from the Congress leadership that “public sentiment would not be subverted”.

Information emerging from the ground also appeared to favour Satheesan. According to a source, top Congress leaders in Delhi had been informed by what he described as “undercover agents” that the groundswell of public support for Satheesan was “spontaneous and not engineered”.

Indications of the high command’s initial preference for Venugopal also triggered aggressive reactions from party workers. On Wednesday, several posters warning Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra against any move to deny the Chief Ministership to Satheesan appeared in Wayanad.

One poster read: “Mr Rahul, KC might be your bag bearer, but the people of Kerala will not forgive you.” Another stated: “PG (Priyanka Gandhi) and RG (Rahul Gandhi), this is not a warning. Kerala will never forgive you for this blunder.” Hinting at a possible electoral backlash, another poster declared: “Wayanad will be the next Amethi.”