VD Satheesan, KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala

New Delhi: After nine days of intense lobbying fueling rumours, the Congress will end the suspense on Thursday morning by naming the next Chief Minister of Kerala, including leader of opposition VD Satheesan, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and veteran Ramesh Chennithala.In one-on-one talks last Saturday, the three candidates strongly put forward their claims to the Congress leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. While Rahul’s confidant Venugopal is said to have secured the support of most of the MLAs, Satheesan is widely seen as the man who led the party and the UDF in charge during the five years of the Left Front government, which won a re-term in 2021. Chennithala presented his stand on seniority and acceptability.After seeking the opinion of senior Kerala leaders a day earlier, Rahul held a 40-minute discussion with Kharge on Wednesday, amid expectations in Delhi and Kerala that the CM candidate would be announced immediately.‘The name of CM-Select will come in a sealed envelope’ But AICC spokesperson Jairam Ramesh told reporters that the high command has completed discussions on the next leader of Kerala and an announcement will be made on Thursday.Since Congress has called a legislature party meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday afternoon, it is believed that the name can be announced there. Some party leaders claimed that the name of the selected CM will come in a sealed envelope, which will be opened among the MLAs, who will then sign the paper and go to the Governor to stake claim to form the government.There are concerns in Congress circles that given the extreme level of lobbying by factional groups, there could be disappointment and resentment among supporters of those left out of the final decision. In such a situation, along with the CM’s announcement, the agreement formula will also have to be presented. Satheesan is said to have told the leadership that he will not join the government if he is not selected for the top post.During the day, eager supporters gathered at the residences of Satheesan and Chennithala in Kerala expecting an announcement in the evening.Former state Congress chief VM Sudheeran, who had met Rahul the evening before, said the people of the state are keen that his choice be chosen (as CM), adding that they are “concerned” about it.