New Delhi | Top Congress leadership on Saturday got into a huddle to decide on the party's government formation in Kerala and select the chief ministerial face in the southern state, where the United Democratic Front (UDF) won with a thumping majority.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge convened a meeting of top party leaders from Kerala, where former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary in-charge for Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi and AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal were also present.

Among others present were Congress' Kerala unit chief Sunny Joseph, leader of opposition in the outgoing Kerala assembly V D Satheesan and former Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

The top leadership is set to discuss the report from the party observers who were sent to hold talks with all party MLAs on their choice for the chief minister's post, sources said.

The report by party's senior observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik was handed over to Kharge on Friday morning, after which the top leadership summoned all leaders from Kerala for a meeting here.

Party's observers for Kerala were also present at the meeting.

Joseph told reporters before the meeting that discussions would be held at Kharge's residence and the party high command would announce the decision regarding the chief minister.

Venugopal, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, has thrown his hat in the race for chief minister, which has led to a delay in selecting the name for the top post, the sources said.

Besides him, Satheesan, who led the party's attack against the LDF government in the state as leader of opposition is also among the top contenders along with party veteran Chennithala.

The Congress had earlier taken a principled stand not to field any sitting MP in the Kerala assembly election, even though many were keen to contest.

With Venugopal entering the fray and staking his claim on the top post, the contest has now heated up, leading to hectic discussions in the national capital.

Sources said a majority of the party MLAs support making Venugopal the chief minister while the public favours Satheesan.

Supporters of both Venugopal and Satheesan have put up posters and banners of their leaders in Delhi as well as in the state capital. Some university students in Delhi also showed strong support, welcoming Satheesan upon his late-night arrival in Delhi. Posters of Venugopal as the next chief minister have also come up outside Kharge's residence.

The Congress has 63 MLAs in the 140-member Kerala assembly, and the IUML has 22 seats and the alliance partner's opinion will matter. Kerala Congress (KEC) has won eight seats, and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) has won three seats. The UDF has won a total of 102 seats, which is more than a two-thirds majority.