Thiruvananthapuram | The Congress leadership continued its efforts to placate senior leader Ramesh Chennithala amid reports of his displeasure over the AICC naming V D Satheesan as Kerala's chief minister-designate.

Satheesan, Chennithala, and Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal were in the fray for the post of Kerala CM.

Following Satheesan's visit to Chennithala's residence on Friday, Congress general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunsi, also visited the senior leader at his home.

After the meeting, she told reporters that she had visited Chennithala's residence because she was unable to meet him on Thursday.

Following the announcement by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Thursday naming Satheesan as the chief minister-designate, Chennithala left for Guruvayoor without speaking to anyone and skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.

However, he had submitted a letter supporting Satheesan's selection as CLP leader.

Dasmunsi also told reporters that she was visiting the homes of all senior leaders.

"I came here because I could not meet him yesterday, as he had gone to Guruvayoor. He has now returned, so it was my duty to meet him," she said, as a smiling Chennithala stood in the background with his supporters.

When asked whether Chennithala would be part of the state cabinet, she said, "Rameshji is standing here. He will say whatever he wants to." Congress named Satheesan as Kerala's CM on May 14, ending days of suspense over the party's leadership decision.

The Congress-led UDF secured a more-than-two-thirds majority in the Kerala Assembly elections, but the party struggled to finalise its chief ministerial candidate amid intense lobbying by various camps and protests by grassroots workers.