Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met his party chief, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Friday to share his impressions of the situation in Kerala and discuss recent political developments within the party. In a post on X, Tharoor wrote: “Met with @INCIndia President Mallikarjun Kharge to share my impressions of the situation in Kerala and discuss recent political developments involving our party.
Always good to share views with the robust, direct and experienced veteran!” In a separate development, the Congress Legislative Party in Kerala, which met in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday (May 7), passed a resolution authorising the party high command to decide the next Chief Minister of Kerala, while AICC observers have begun consultations with legislators and senior leaders to assess preferences and build consensus on the leadership choice amid growing internal lobbying.
The decision comes even as key contenders within the party stepped up consultations with MLAs to consolidate support. The political context follows a decisive victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, which ended the decade-long dominance of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).
The verdict reflects strong anti-incumbency sentiment, with voters opting for change and reshaping the state’s political landscape after ten years. The UDF secured a strong majority, with Congress winning 63 seats and its ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), securing 22 seats.
The LDF managed 26 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) failed to make a significant impact, winning only three seats. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan won from the Dharmadam constituency with 85,614 votes, defeating Congress candidate V.P. Abdul Rasheed by 19,247 votes, even as his party faced a broader statewide setback.
With the UDF now set to form the government, internal discussions have intensified over the chief ministerial choice, with the final decision expected from the Congress high command in the coming days.