India, May 15 -- Vadassery Damodaran Satheesan staked his claim to form the next government in Kerala on Thursday after the 61-year-old was elected leader of the Congress legislative party, breaking 10 days of suspense over the party's pick for the top job that had ratcheted up political tensions and sparked criticism.

Satheesan, a six-time lawmaker from Paravur and a former leader of the opposition in the state assembly, beat back stiff competition from Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, who appeared to have the backing of the party high command, and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala.

But Satheesan, who has never even been a state minister before, refused to back down from his claim to the chief minister's chair, fl...