May 14, 2026 15:57 pm IST

Opinion | Rahul, Kharge, Priyanka: Inside The Kerala Power Wars That Forced Congress To Blink

Rahul Gandhi was seen as leaning towards Venugopal. Priyanka Gandhi favoured Satheesan, while Sonia Gandhi was more sympathetic to Chennithala. In that triangular power play, Priyanka's reading prevailed.

Rasheed Kidwai Rasheed Kidwai Columnist

Rasheed Kidwai Columnist

After what seemed like a lifetime in the political timeline of Kerala, the Congress has chosen VD Satheesan as the state's next Chief Minister.

Satheesan's elevation is, first and foremost, a political lesson of immense significance for every aspirant to high office across parties. The establishment may have had its preferences. The arithmetic within the system may have appeared to favour others. Yet, what ultimately prevailed was sustained political capital earned through relentless groundwork, public credibility, and organic acceptability among cadres and citizens alike.

For five years, Satheesan invested in the ground. In the end, even the high command had to concede to the weight of public sentiment conveyed by those who truly understood the pulse of Kerala.

That is why this is not just Satheesan's victory. It is also K.C. Venugopal's defeat. More importantly, it is a major face loss for Rahul Gandhi.

Venugopal was no ordinary contender. He was the AICC general secretary in charge of organisation, widely regarded as one of the most powerful figures in today's Congress, and seen as Rahul Gandhi's preferred choice for Kerala. Reports indicated that a substantial bloc of newly elected Congress MLAs backed him; one account put the number at 47 out of 63. Yet, despite that institutional heft, and despite Rahul's apparent preference, he could not cross the final line. Satheesan did.

When Kamal Nath became Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh was seen as having played a part; when Ashok Gehlot edged ahead in Rajasthan, Ahmed Patel's influence mattered; in Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel refused to yield to the alleged two-and-a-half-year power-sharing arrangement; in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah has continued to resist recurring pressure over leadership change. 

Against that background, Kerala stands........

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