- 3 hours ago
The Congress party has resolved its leadership crisis in Kerala by selecting a new Chief Minister after eleven days of deliberations. The decision comes after a legislature party meeting, which saw the attendance of most elected representatives, though a senior leader skipped the gathering due to disagreement with the high command's choice.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chowdhury.
00:03Kerala, Keralam, as a Chief Minister in VD Satishan, the Congress finally picked a name after 11 days.
00:10The Kerala Chief Minister oath, in all probability, could be on the May 18th.
00:16We're going to get the latest because the CLP meeting has just gotten over a short while ago.
00:21And what we also know is Ramesh Jenithala did not attend the meeting.
00:2861 MLAs participated out of 63.
00:32More details coming in. Deepak Joy and other MLA missed the meeting due to health concerns.
00:38But all in all, it does seem that the number of MLAs who had decided to side with KC Venugopal
00:43has decided to tow the high command line,
00:46which is VD Satishan as the Chief of the party in Kerala, as well as the Chief Minister.
00:55All right, I want to cut across right now to my colleague Shibhi Mool, who's joining us live with the
01:00latest.
01:00Shibhi, I believe 7.30pm is when the Chief Minister-designate, now VD Satishan, will be going to meet the
01:09Governor.
01:10Once again, it will be Mr. Ralekar from Tamil Nadu, who also has charge of governorship where Kerala is concerned.
01:17On 7.30pm, he'll be making his way to meet the Governor, I believe.
01:21Has any date been decided for the oath-taking?
01:28Well, Priti, what we're learning is that 18th May, that's Monday, is when the oath-taking ceremony will take place
01:35in all possibility.
01:36And they've also informed that on 18th May, not just the Chief Minister, the entire Cabinet will also take oath.
01:42That's been the tradition in Kerala.
01:43The entire ministry takes oath on the same day, along with the Chief Minister.
01:46So that will take place, is what we have been told.
01:48And on 21st, the MLAs will take oath.
01:50So that's been decided as of now.
01:52We're waiting for that one final confirmation from the official Congress sources.
01:57But as of now, 63 MLAs of the Congress Party, they have 63 MLAs right now.
02:0261 of them attended the meeting.
02:04One of them did not attend because of health issues.
02:06The other one was Ramesh Tenditala, who did not attend the meeting because of the friction that's existing.
02:12He's very disappointed with the announcement made by the High Command.
02:15But VD Satishan, the Chief Minister-elect, will be meeting Governor Ajit Arlek.
02:19And unlike Tamil Nadu, he might not have to go.
02:21Keep visiting Governor because he has a clear mandate with him, 102 members.
02:25At the end of the day with him, it will be just one visit that we will have to cover.
02:29So with that, it will be over.
02:31Well, it's already happening, Shibhi.
02:32Stay with me.
02:33I'm coming right back to you.
02:34I just want to take our viewers through the visuals.
02:37The car of VD Satishan, and it's not quite a cavalcade, which is interesting, but it is.
02:41He's got the whole security detailing right now of the Chief Minister.
02:46And there you have it.
02:47VD Satishan, who switched the light on inside his car, is making his way into the Lok Bhavan
02:52to meet the Governor of Kerala, who's the same as Tamil Nadu, as Mr. Arlekar has a dual charge
02:59of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
03:00And going inside, word has it that Monday would be the D-Day for the oath-taking ceremony.
03:06So right now, VD Satishan going to the Lok Bhavan to meet the Governor to stake claim.
03:12I want to cut across back to my colleague Shibhi Mol.
03:14Moshmi also joins us.
03:15Moshmi, coming to you in just a bit.
03:16Allow me to get Shibhi into this conversation.
03:19So Shibhi, those visuals coming in of VD Satishan pulling into the Lok Bhavan to meet the Governor
03:24this time.
03:25Hopefully, it will all go off without a hitch.
03:28What are we expecting, Shibhi?
03:29Is the Congress looking and the State Unit as a grand celebration where oath-taking is
03:35concerned?
03:35We're going to get to that.
03:37But first, give us the back end of it all.
03:40Because the CLP meeting has just taken place.
03:42Ramesh Chiamithala clearly not happy with the way how things have panned out.
03:46He was hoping to be picked for the Chief Minister.
03:49And there were a lot of MLAs, Shibhi.
03:51I believe 41 or 42 MLAs that had pledged support to KC Venu Gopal.
03:56But they all seemingly are falling in line right now.
04:03Well, exactly.
04:04In fact, that is going to be the biggest task for VD Satishan also in the coming days to
04:08bring this troop together.
04:10Because clearly, he also knows that most of his MLAs, around 40 of them are not standing
04:15with them.
04:15They are standing with KC Venu Gopal.
04:16So, in the coming days, Congress will be entering into this discussion regarding the ministries
04:21because they will have to allot ministry to the alliance partners also.
04:25All the alliance partners have also performed really well in this election.
04:28So, they will be staking their claim to the ministerial posts.
04:33KC Venu Gopal's people, KC Venu Gopal, I am very sure, would have also made this demand
04:37that people should be given some important portfolios.
04:41So, that demand will also be raised.
04:43Now, most important part is convincing and bringing back Ramesh Shintala into the troop
04:47because he is a very, very senior leader.
04:48The senior most among all three of them.
04:50They both, both KC Venu Gopal and VD Sadishan grew under him.
04:54So, he was their leader.
04:55That's what VD Sadishan said also.
04:56Ramesh Shintala is my leader.
04:58I grew under him, under his wings.
04:59So, in that case, they cannot run this without him.
05:02They will have to bring back him, convince him and make him part of the ministry by giving
05:06him one important portfolio, something like a home ministry.
05:09That's what was done last time he was the home minister when Congress was in power from
05:132011 to 2016.
05:14So, a lot of tasks ahead for the Congress party and VD Sadishan.
05:18And most importantly, bringing all of them together, knowing that there's a friction.
05:21Shibik, could he very well be the speaker?
05:22Is that also a post that is being deliberated for Mr. Chanithala?
05:31Well, no.
05:31There's no possibility that he might, you know, state claim to the post of speaker.
05:36Most likely, he will ask for the home ministerial post.
05:38But right now, his decision is not to be a part of the ministry.
05:41It could also be a pressure tactic also on the high command and also on the ministry to,
05:45you know, at least get the home ministry.
05:48As of now, we'll have to wait and see if he continues being adamant because he has not
05:51come out of his house.
05:52We don't know if he's actually inside his house.
05:54Also, the phone is switched off.
05:55Nobody's answering the calls.
05:56Nothing.
05:56So, he's gone missing literally after the announcement has been made.
05:59Well, the other person who's clearly after issuing the statement because Ramesh, stay
06:03with me, Shibbi.
06:04Ramesh Chanithala has not responded to any calls.
06:07Phone is switched off.
06:08We don't know where he is.
06:09Right now, he did not attend the CLP.
06:11So, clearly, Ramesh Chanithala is an angry man this evening.
06:15The oldest of the lot, the maximum experience.
06:18Both KC Venugopal and VD Satishan say that it was him who's their leader.
06:24But their leader is not happy of not being picked.
06:26I want to bring in Moshmi, my colleague, who tracks the Congress very closely.
06:29Moshmi, I'm sure the high command was expecting this.
06:33Word also coming in.
06:34KC Venugopal might have put up a brave front, but he is a depressed man this evening.
06:39And Ramesh Chanithala is the angrier one.
06:43See, you know, we went to KC Venugopal's house, hoping that we could meet him and find
06:50out what had transpired, but he's not meeting anyone.
06:55And perhaps, you know, this is not the latest of days for KC Venugopal.
07:05I don't think he's really, really happy.
07:08His body language and everything really, you know, indicates that he is really down.
07:14So, one will have to wait and see how he actually plays the part in this entire swearing-in ceremony,
07:20whether he actually goes to Kerala to participate in the swearing-in ceremony.
07:24Because if Rahul Gandhi goes, then wherever Rahul Gandhi goes, KC Venugopal goes.
07:31So, but I was just smiling at the fair bit of drama that's unfolding in Kerala.
07:36And, you know, interestingly, Priti, it's not been the only contest between Vidi Satishan and Ramesh Chindai Thala, this one.
07:46Because 2021, and that's where it was very interesting, when they both contested for becoming the CLP, that race also
07:56Vidi Satishan won.
07:58At that time, Sonia Gandhi was the president, Congress president, and Mr. Kargi was the observer.
08:04So, two people who played a very intrinsic role in the decision-making today have seen this fight play out
08:12earlier as well.
08:13And at that time round also, Mr. Satishan won hands down because he had MLA support.
08:19So, I would say that there will be a lot of sulking, a lot of Delhi natives are under shock.
08:26When, you know, Vidi Satishan's name was announced, they asked me, what happened?
08:31Yeah. So, they were all hoping that Mr. Kesi Venugopal would be announced.
08:38And they are also in a state of shock that what happened transpired, that there was a turn of events
08:45in favor of Mr. Satishan.
08:47All right. So, what really transpired, that there was a turn of events in favor of Mr. Satishan, that remains
08:54to be understood right now.
08:55But it does seem that Kesi Venugopal, very, very depressed, some would suggest that it was Kesi Venugopal who had
09:01installed Vidi Satishan as the LOP.
09:04And he thought that his time had come and Vidi Satishan would step back and allow him that position and
09:09say, my time will come, this is yours right now.
09:11So, Kesi Venugopal quite hurt and disappointed, depressed.
09:15Yes. Ramesh Chelnitala, extremely angry, is what we've been given to understand.
09:19How will he be placated is the big question.
09:21And who will placate him?
09:23Shibi, I want to quickly come to you on that account.
09:26What is happening on the question I asked you?
09:30And, Moshmi, if you have word on that, how big does the Congress hope to go on the swearing-in
09:35ceremony?
09:35Because right now, they will have their government in three south states and power-sharing in one, Tamil Nadu.
09:42Shibi, you want to go first?
09:47Well, we're learning that it is going to be a big, big celebration because they're coming back to power after
09:5210 long years.
09:52So, naturally, the workers, they could not really enjoy this victory in the last one week because of the CM
09:57tussle going on, street protest and everything.
10:00So, we're hearing there will be a huge function that will be organized.
10:03Otherwise, also hearing that the Tamil Nadu chief minister, they're trying to bring in Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay also
10:08to take part in the oath-taking ceremony after the new alliance that they built in Tamil Nadu.
10:13That's one thing that the entire KPCC office is talking about.
10:17That's one thing that they're all excited about.
10:18We have not yet got confirmation.
10:20That's something the high command and the national leadership will have to discuss and, you know, take a call on.
10:24But otherwise, they're planning a very, very huge ceremony because they're coming back to power after 10 years.
10:30Yes, and 21 ministers will be taking oath on 18th along with the VD submission.
10:35Moshmi, you want to come in?
10:36What are you picking up from Delhi?
10:37The Congress would want to draw as much political mileage out of this event.
10:44Titi, from the recent performances of the Congress Party, this has been the silver lining for them, especially post the
10:53Lok Sabha election.
10:54So, I think that it will be a full show of strength, you know, I'm sorry.
10:59I think it will be a full show of strength by the Congress Party trying to woo in the new
11:05alliances.
11:06It will be interesting whether they call in the DMK as well to participate in the swearing and ceremony.
11:13Well, interesting.
11:14We'll know how that pans out.
11:16But I appreciate both you ladies for joining us.
11:18Thank you there.
11:19It's been a long day for the both of you.
11:21Thank you, both Moshmi and Shibhi.
11:24Our crack team, they're getting you the latest from Delhi as well as in Kerala.
11:28I want to quickly cut across to our two guests.
11:29Thank you for the patience already.
11:31I know you've been waiting for a while.
11:32Joining me, RK Radhakrishnan, senior journalist, as well as Nirmal Abraham, columnist and political analyst.
11:38Mr. Radhakrishnan, as per you, what is it that swung it for VD Satishan?
11:44Yeah, the mere fact that he put the election together.
11:48In fact, after 2021, where morale was its lowest ebb, Congress getting defeated for a second time.
11:56This is the guy who actually built it up.
11:582024, maybe everybody was in on it.
12:02But then four by-elections.
12:03It is unprecedented that every single by-election was won by the opposition party.
12:09That too, Satishan was very confident he is winning every single by-election.
12:12Not a single Congress leader was that confident, number one.
12:16Number two, the local body elections.
12:19Satishan told many of us that they are winning at least seven of the corporations.
12:24And he definitely said we are winning column.
12:27Seven of the district panchayats.
12:28And he said he's definitely winning column.
12:30We never thought this.
12:31Ever since column corporation was created, it's always been with LDF.
12:36How do you even believe this chap when he comes around and tells we are going to win column?
12:39They want column.
12:40They want even code-code.
12:42So the fact is that this is a man who believed.
12:44And even after this election, he said that they are going to win more than 100.
12:48When I myself did not believe that, I said between 82 and 85.
12:51So that was the number that I put.
12:53But nobody in Congress believed that they are going to win over 100.
12:56Satishan put the number at 100 plus.
12:59So that is Satishan's confidence.
13:01It is not just confidence.
13:02He knew that they were winning.
13:04And that is why Satishan has to be the face.
13:05Now, Ramesh Chennithala's problem, very briefly, is that when Satishan was in school, 1982, Ramesh Chennithala was a minister in
13:16the Karunagaran cabinet.
13:17That is Chennithala's problem.
13:19Come on.
13:19It's 40 years, 40 plus years.
13:21And obviously, he wants to be the leader.
13:24He wants to be the chief minister.
13:25And he's the most unluckiest person on earth, so to speak, politician on earth.
13:312004, he could have easily become a cabinet minister.
13:33Unfortunately, every single congressman lost that election.
13:372009, he was the man responsible for building up the Congress party from the rubble of what K. Karunagaran left
13:43at that point of time.
13:44But then he could not be recognized again because he couldn't make it to the central cabinet.
13:48So that is where Ramesh Chennithala stands.
13:50I really, really, my heart goes out to Ramesh Chennithala, a good friend.
13:53But then if this is Satishan's election, Satishan should be chief minister.
13:57All right.
13:57This is Satishan's election.
13:59Satishan should be chief minister.
14:00And you just heard the reasons on why he was, many would suggest, if there is natural justice in politics
14:07and it comes very rare, then it has been served this time in the state of Kerala.
14:11Nirmal Abraham, let me bring you in on this.
14:13What's your take?
14:14Why VD Satishan?
14:16How is it that KC Vainu Gopal lost out to late last night?
14:19Everybody in Delhi was putting their money on KC Vainu Gopal.
14:24No, I agree with what the previous panelist said because, you know, right from the moment he assumed office as
14:29leader of opposition, remember, he assumed office when UDF suffered a similar defeat that LDF has suffered now, 41 seats.
14:36So from that stage to get back to 102 seats is a great achievement itself.
14:41And also all the by-elections.
14:43Not only did he win all the by-elections, he won it by a huge margin and he predicted the
14:47margin.
14:47So, for example, Pudupalli, they won by 37,000 votes.
14:50He predicted that they would win by 35,000 votes.
14:53Palakar, he predicted that they would win by 15,000 votes.
14:56Congress had a majority of 18,000 votes.
14:58So in all of the constituencies, he made the right prediction, which means that he knew the constituency really well.
15:05Adding to that, the other important thing is the local body elections, as he rightly mentioned, because for the last
15:1030 years or so, LDF, regardless of what happens in the assembly, LDF has dominated the local body scene.
15:16So in the last time, it was the first time in 30 years that UDF dominated the local body elections.
15:22So on all accounts, he deserves to be the chief minister.
15:26As far as Casey Weiner-Gobal is concerned, look, I'd like to think that people who voted for Weiner-Gobal,
15:32the MLAs who stood up and voted for Weiner-Gobal, only did it out of fear and ambition.
15:36It's like a principal summoning a meeting and asking, do you want to vote for me or the HOD?
15:42And all the teachers would end up voting for the principal, of course.
15:45And that's what happened.
15:46So I don't think he deserved it this time.
15:48And Chandi Tala, really unfortunate, because look at his resume.
15:52KSU president, NSUI president, KPCC president, AICC secretary in charge of many states, leader of opposition, two-time minister, four
16:02-time MP, six-time MLA, youngest minister in Kerala,
16:05youngest MLA of Kerala at the time, great resume, but unfortunately he does not have a space here.
16:10The only opportunity he received was 2016 to 21, where because of COVID, LDF striked back and got back in
16:17power.
16:17Now he's missed that boat.
16:19And I'm afraid he will miss it forever, because in 2031, he'll be nearly 75 years old, and there will
16:24be more people.
16:25You know, Casey Weiner-Gobal will come up next time saying, no, no, no, I sacrificed my seat, I want
16:31it back.
16:32K. Sudhagan would come up and say, I sacrificed the entire position, I was the KPCC president, I want it
16:37back.
16:38And there are more leaders growing up within the party.
16:40K. Murli Daran is another example.
16:42Shashi Tharoor wants him to get it, he wanted to be the CM too.
16:44So the competition will be harsh next time, we'll probably end up seeing a seat.
16:48And that is only, Mr. Abram, if you have Vedi Satishan, who gives anybody the space, because he's young, relatively,
16:56for Indian politics, 61, and I'm sure he's not going anywhere, or ceding space to anyone, especially if you've seen
17:02how he's conducted himself in the recent past.
17:05So I want to take just final comments, and Mr. Radhakrishnan, let me come to you.
17:08And, you know, for a moment, if we focus on who you say is your dear friend, Mr. Ramesh Chenithala,
17:13how is it that the Congress now placates him?
17:15Because he's clearly very, very angry and disappointed.
17:18Is it Home Minister? How?
17:21No, it's very simple.
17:22You know, Chenithala has to be moved to the central leadership, in a leadership position.
17:26And I think that he's a much, much more suited candidate than KC Venugopal in the role of an organization
17:32secretary, very simply because he reads the tea leaves much better than, you know, KC Venugopal, who has not really
17:38done a stellar job, even in Tamil Nadu, for that instance.
17:42If he had pushed really hard KC Venugopal, the Vijay Congress alliance would have happened in December.
17:47In fact, I was talking to Sunil, the strategist of Congress, and I said, look, these two people, young, you
17:54know, in their 50s, Rahul Gandhi and Vijay, you know, jointly doing a campaign, that would actually stir the entire
18:01bloody Tamil population.
18:02Sorry for the, you know, expletive.
18:04But the point happens to be that that opportunity was lost, you know, from September onwards, September of 2025, when
18:12Rahul Gandhi actually made the call to Vijay after the Karur stampede.
18:17This has been on and off, on and off.
18:19The organization secretary should have taken the call.
18:21He did not do that.
18:22He did not force Rahul Gandhi to come together to this.
18:25Chenithala should be in the central, you know, decision-making body.
18:28Rahul Gandhi is better served by Ramesh Chenithala than KCB.
18:32All right.
18:32Mr. Abram, you want to weigh in on that?
18:34How does one really, the Congress, procate Ramesh Chenithala?
18:39Well, the only thing that I think they have to make sure that he doesn't move out of the party
18:43and move to the BJP, not that it would make a big impact,
18:46but the Naya community is, at least the leadership of the Naya community is siding with or has sided with
18:52Ramesh Chenithala,
18:53although the other two contestants were also from the Naya community, Sadishan and KCB.
18:57So that's something they have to make sure.
19:00The other big challenge in front of Sadishan, I know you mentioned Sadishan is here to stay,
19:03but imagine the crisis that he's getting into in terms of the party.
19:07He has to make sure that the Sadishan, he has to make sure that the KC camp is happy,
19:10that the RC camp is happy, that the people's camp is also happy,
19:14because the leader of the opposition this time, unlike in the last 70 years, there are three oppositions.
19:18One is LDF.
19:20Two, for the first time in the history of Kerala, BJP has won three seats.
19:22They are gaining more watchers every other time, so they will be a strong opposition.
19:27The third opposition is the most dangerous opposition, which is the Congress Party itself.
19:30They have internal factions, you know, infighting.
19:34I'll give you one example.
19:36The seats, the names of the MLAs who sided with KC was exposed.
19:41Viti Sadishan knows that, exactly who it is, and he knows that a lot of people backstep.
19:45We don't know how that internal politics is going to work out.
19:47So it's going to be interesting and challenging as well.
19:49And Kerala has a very strained budget, so all the promises in the manifesto is also going to be hard
19:54to fulfill.
19:55You're right there, and Mukul Vasnik would be fairly embarrassed with that one picture that exposed what it did.
20:00But thank you, both gentlemen, for taking the time out and joining us this evening.
20:04We'd like to have you again on Monday when the oath-taking takes place.
20:08Appreciate it.
20:09With that, I want to head into a quick break, but we leave you with visuals of Viti Sadishan right
20:15now at the governor's residence.
20:17Lok Bhavan, very, very happy.
20:19All smiles there.
20:20And he would be now staking claim and taking oath on the 18th, which is Monday.
20:26We'll be with that.
20:27Thank you for joining us.
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