NEW DELHI: Following the United Democratic Front's (UDF) spectacular return to power in Kerala, the focus has abruptly shifted from celebration to the intense race for the Chief Minister's chair. A delegation of senior Congress leaders from the state has descended upon the national capital to hold crucial deliberations with the party's central leadership regarding the top post.
Sources indicate that the High Command, including the party president and the Gandhis, will hold individual meetings with key state leaders to gauge the mood of the newly elected legislative party. With several heavyweights who spearheaded the successful election campaign vying for the position, the central leadership is treading cautiously to prevent any internal friction that could mar the electoral triumph.
The discussions in Delhi are expected to thoroughly evaluate each contender's administrative acumen, mass appeal, and ability to keep the UDF coalition tightly knit. The views of crucial alliance partners will also factor heavily into the final decision. Party insiders suggest that an observer committee might be dispatched to Thiruvananthapuram to formally record the preferences of the MLAs before the High Command announces the final name, ending the suspense over who will lead the state's next government.