Congress Delays Kerala CM Pick Amid Factional Tussle

The Congress party's high command has delayed announcing its Chief Minister pick for Kerala, after marathon discussions with state leaders in New Delhi on Saturday. The party's national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi, held closed-door talks with Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, but the outcome remains unclear.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has directed the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to reduce public posturing and social media sabre-rattling over the leadership issue, which has threatened to deepen factional fault lines within the party.

Senior Congress leaders in Kerala, including K. C. Joseph, have complained about fake social media accounts being used to lobby for their respective leaders, further complicating the situation.

The party is expected to resume discussions on the leadership issue in the coming days, with the AICC likely to take a final call soon. The KPCC will await further direction from the high command before making any announcements.