Thiruvananthapuram: With protests, social media campaigns and factional muscle building threatening to eclipse the UDF’s massive election victory, Congress leaders on Tuesday moved closer to ending the week-long standoff over the post of Kerala chief minister.The final round of negotiations involves Mallikarjun KhargeMP Rahul Gandhi Party sources said Sonia Gandhi is expected to seal the decision on the successor to the Left Front’s 10-year tenure in Kerala. AICC officials also called senior officials from Kerala to New Delhi. Leaders emerging from meetings with Rahul Gandhi indicated that the announcement could come on Wednesday.After eight days of suspense and behind-the-scenes bargaining, Congress officials admitted that the long uncertainty had led to an emphatic victory for the Congress-led UDF over the CPM-led LDF. The UDF secured 103 seats in the 140-member assembly, but the delay in naming the CM reopened factional fault lines that had disappeared during the campaign.Three stalwarts remain in the fray – KC Venugopal and MLAs VD Satheesan and R Chennithala. The Venugopal camp claimed the support of 43 MLAs in the 63-member Congress block, while the Satheesan and Chennithala factions estimated the support of 35 and 22 MLAs respectively.Sources said Gandhi sought clarification on the delay and coordinated protests. Leaders said public sentiment, mood of the cadre and views of colleagues will shape the final decision.