Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi | Senior Congress leader M M Hassan on Tuesday asserted that coalition partners have no role in deciding the Congress Legislature Party leader in Kerala, amid continuing uncertainty over the selection of the chief minister following the UDF's poll victory.
Rejecting suggestions that the stand taken by allies could influence the decision-making process, Hassan said the Congress alone would decide its Assembly leader and chief minister.
"The Congress alone will decide its Assembly leader. Coalition partners do not decide the parliamentary party leader of the Congress," the former KPCC president told reporters in New Delhi before attending consultations convened by the party high command.
His remarks came in response to questions regarding the support extended by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF, to senior leader V D Satheesan in the race for the chief minister's post.
Hassan, one of the senior leaders invited to Delhi for discussions with the central leadership, also sought to play down criticism over the delay in announcing the chief minister.
He said the Congress usually takes about a week after elections to decide on the legislative party leader and chief minister and maintained that there was no "unusual delay" in the process.
"The UDF came to power because public sentiment was in its favour. The high command sought the views of elected MLAs and is now consulting us also. Whatever decision the high command takes will be accepted by everyone," he said.
The senior leader further noted that the Congress had a history of appointing even leaders who had not contested Assembly elections as chief minister, amid speculation surrounding the candidature of AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal.
He said the AICC would take an appropriate decision on the three prominent leaders widely seen as contenders for the top post.
Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who was also called to Delhi for consultations, said he had no allegiance to any particular camp while conveying his views to the leadership.
"I can express my opinion only on the basis of the matters placed before me. We are in the final phase of selecting the new chief minister and I hope a final decision will emerge at the earliest after discussions with senior leaders," he said.
Amid continuing uncertainty over the leadership issue, the Congress high command is holding consultations with former KPCC presidents, working presidents and senior leaders before arriving at a final decision.
Those called to Delhi include former KPCC presidents V M Sudheeran, Mullappally Ramachandran, K Muraleedharan, K Sudhakaran and M M Hassan.
Senior MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and working presidents P C Vishnunath, Shafi Parambil and A P Anil Kumar have also been invited for discussions.
According to party sources, discussions with the leaders are being held on Tuesday and a decision is expected soon.
The three main contenders for the chief minister's post are senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan and K C Venugopal.
The Assembly elections in Kerala were held on April 9 and the results were declared on May 4.
The UDF won a total of 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, which is more than a two-thirds majority
