Although the next assembly election is more than a year away, Congress in Kerala is being rocked from the inside over who will be its next Chief Minister. Leaders vying for the chair, after two difficult terms in the opposition, are involved in intense and open lobbying with various religious and caste outfits to ensure support. They seem to be certain that the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) will be denied a hat-trick by a huge anti-incumbency wave which they believe sweeps across the state.

However, 16 months, a long time in politics, is enough to upset the apple carts of even the most confident. The various acrobatics on display from Congress's wannabe CMs signal that the choice can be quite vexed even if the United Democratic Front (UDF) wins the election. A Wayanad Congress leader’s suicide note that puts the party leadership in the dock has also thrown an unexpected spanner into the UDF’s works. With the election fast nearing, more and more spectacular fireworks can be expected in the coming days that can make or mar the political destinies of many.

Never in the past half-century had the Congress or the UDF faced a “problem of plenty” to choose its CM candidate as it does now. For over three decades, either K Karunakaran or A K Antony was tipped to the top post followed by the turn of Oommen Chandy. In 2021, Ramesh Chennithala, the Opposition leader was also uncontested as the next CM but the results dashed his plans and LDF made an unprecedented consecutive win. However, Chennithala was made to pay a further penalty by the High Command for the LDF victory by not letting him continue as the Opposition leader. Instead, VD Satheesan became the new Opposition leader and thus bypassed Chennithala to be in the reckoning for the next CM’s seat. Chennithala found himself in the lurch subsequently and is now firing on all cylinders to regain his turn to the top post, with support from NSS, SNDP and Muslim League, the groups that formed his mentor Karunakaran’s strength.

But, unlike in 2021, Chennithala is not the solitary contender now. The last four years have thrown up as many as four more top leaders to the fray: KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan, Shashi Tharoor and K Muraleedharan. Interestingly, all the contenders are also bound........

© Mathrubhumi English