India, May 9 -- The Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) emphatic sweep of the Kerala assembly elections - 102 seats in a 140-member House - has ended a decade of Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule, but the euphoria of victory has quickly given way to a fierce, messy, and very public battle over who becomes the state's next chief minister.

Three senior leaders are in the race: VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and KC Venugopal. All three are in Delhi as of Saturday; the Congress high command has been meeting through the week; and a final decision is expected within 24 hours.

The last time Congress held power in Kerala was under Oommen Chandy, whose government ended in 2016. Chandy, who passed away in July 2024, remains perhaps the...