Thiruvananthapuram | The next chief minister of Kerala will possibly be finalised by Sunday after Congress leaders and MLAs conveyed their views to AICC observers following the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting held here on Thursday.
Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan, who won from Vattiyoorkavu, told reporters after the CLP meeting that the decision would be taken by Sunday.
"I have given my opinion. The decision on who will be the chief minister will be known by Sunday," he said, refusing to elaborate further.
UDF won 102 seats in the Assembly election, and Congress has 63 MLAs who give their opinion to AICC observers to select the chief minister.
As the CLP meeting passed a resolution authorising the party's high command to decide the next CM, observers will file a report to the Congress national leadership, who will take the final call.
MP K Sudhakaran, who met AICC observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken at a hotel here. After the meeting, Sudhakaran told reporters that he had sincerely conveyed his views to the Congress leadership.
"We have sincerely given our opinion," he said.
Sudhakaran said the support of MLAs was crucial in deciding the chief ministerial candidate as they form the backbone of the legislative party.
"Without their support, the legislative party cannot be taken forward. The candidate should have their support, and it is in the interest of the chief minister," he said.
He also said the views of senior party leaders and workers should be considered before arriving at a decision.
"The sentiments of party workers who shed their blood and sweat should also be considered before deciding the CM," he said.
Sudhakaran said he had not proposed any particular name and that it was for the party leadership to discuss and decide.
He added that V D Satheesan, who led the Congress in the state as Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, had also placed his views before the AICC observers.
Satheesan, however, refused to comment after meeting the observers.
Senior Congress leader P J Kurien said he had also conveyed his opinion to the observers, but declined to disclose details.
"The Congress has a system in which observers hear the views of MLAs and senior leaders before submitting a report to the party high command," he said.
"As MLAs are elected by the people, their opinion is crucial. At the same time, party leaders are also being heard," he added after meeting observers at the hotel.
When asked whether the person enjoying the support of the majority of MLAs would become the chief minister, Kurien declined to comment.
There have been reports that a majority of MLAs are backing MP K C Venugopal, who did not contest the Assembly elections.
Chandy Oommen, among the first leaders to come out after the CLP meeting, said the details of the discussions would not be disclosed publicly.
"First, we held the meeting and authorised the AICC to decide the CM. Then individual meetings were held. As I had some urgency, I was heard initially," he said.
Sandeep Varier, who won from Thrikkarippur in Kasaragod district, said the party would take a final decision after completing consultations.
"I don't know about the timeline. What each MLA said is confidential within the party," he said.
Several other MLAs, including M Liju, Ramesh Pisharody, V T Balram and T Siddique, also declined to reveal their preferences publicly. They maintained that the party leadership would take an appropriate decision.
Currently, VD Satheesan, MP KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala are being considered for the CM post.
