'KC Venugopal is eligible to be Chief Minister of Kerala, don't know what is in Rahul's mind'

NEW DELHI: Congress Working Committee member Tariq Anwar said KC Venugopal is an experienced leader and is eligible to be the Chief Minister of Kerala. He added that Venugopal is active in Kerala politics and there would be no issues if he returns to the state. He was speaking to a private news channel. Tariq Anwar had earlier served as the Congress general secretary in charge of Kerala.

“Even if KC Venugopal returns to Kerala, there will be no problem. There are many leaders who can take up the role of general secretary in the organisation. There are 12 general secretaries in total. Before getting the organisational responsibility, KC was also one among them. The decision of Rahul Gandhi is crucial. We do not know what is on his mind. If KC wishes, it should be accepted,” Tariq Anwar said.

Meanwhile, the UDF is eagerly waiting for Monday’s election results after receiving favourable predictions in eight exit polls. If the predictions turn out to be correct, the UDF may return to power after a gap of 10 years. Except for a few isolated claims questioning the exit polls, the LDF camp has largely remained silent. The BJP has also not made any major response.

The debate over the Chief Minister’s post, which had been a concern for the Congress leadership, has now shifted focus after the survey results. Muslim League state president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said that the support for VD Satheesan as Chief Minister reflects public sentiment.

In recent days, discussions have centred around Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and K. C. Venugopal. Supporters of these leaders had actively voiced their opinions, especially on social media, leading to heated debates. The party high command tried to control the situation, but arguments continued online.

In a departure from usual practice, Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal clarified his position, apparently to prevent internal rifts within the Congress that could embarrass the UDF. Following his statement, Youth League state vice president Faisal Bafaqi Thangal also expressed support for Satheesan. Congress leaders have not officially responded. However, sources say senior Congress leaders are unhappy that an ally expressed opinions on the Chief Minister’s post even before the results.