Kerala: Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, one of the prominent names being considered for the Kerala chief minister's post, today welcomed the Congress leadership's decision to name VD Satheesan instead. Speaking to reporters after the Congress party announced Satheesan’s name, Venugopal said Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had sought his opinion, and said, “As a sincere Congressman, we are all behind the party’s decision."

Venugopal remarked: “The final decision has come, and the Congress high command decided VD Satheesan as the Chief Ministerial candidate for Keralam Government. I am welcoming that decision wholeheartedly. I am congratulating VD Satheesan on this position.”

He added, “I think that people of Keralam have given a big verdict for the UDF. The government and the leadership of VD Satheesan can fulfil the aspirations and promises of the people of Keralam. Certainly, we are totally behind the government of Keralam.”

Venugopal added that “Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi discussed the situation and the decision-making process. They called me and asked me my opinion, and we all discussed that.”

“I am thanking the MLAs, party workers, party functionaries for the support they have given to me. Finally, the party took a decision, and as a sincere Congressman, we are all behind the party's decision,” Venugopal said.

As his name was announced as the next Kerala chief minister, Satheesan thanked the Congress leadership and credited his supporters for his win. 

He said, "I achieved this with the support of lakhs of Congress workers and team UDF. Congress has given me a huge responsibility, I thank party leadership for it.”

The decision today comes more than 10 days after the results of the Keala Assembly polls were declared. The Congress-led UDF secured a more than two-thirds majority in the Kerala Assembly elections, but the party was unable to decide on its chief ministerial face amid lobbying by different camps and protests by workers at the ground level.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph said that All India Congress Committee (AICC) observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, along with the party-in-charge of the state, Deepa Dasmunsi, will reach Thiruvananthapuram by 4 pm.

Following that, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting of the party MLAs will be held at the Assembly in the evening, Joseph said.