New Delhi, May 13 -- In Kerala, the homes of Congress Chief Minister hopefuls Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan remained crowded on Wednesday with anxious supporters through the day as suspense over the party's leadership choice continued.
The wait finally eased late in the evening when AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, speaking in New Delhi, said the Congress high command would announce its decision on Thursday.
AICC general secretary for organisation, K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Kerala assembly, Satheesan, and senior party leader Chennithala are among those in the race for the top post after the Congress-led UDF swept the April 9 elections.
As word spread that the Congress high command would take a final call after Rahul Gandhi met party president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi on Wednesday evening, the homes of CM hopefuls Chennithala in Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, and Satheesan in Aluva near Kochi became centres of tense anticipation.
Party workers from across Kerala gathered outside both residences through the day, waiting for word from Delhi.
Supporters arriving from Haripad, Chennithala's home constituency, as well as districts including Wayanad and Alappuzha, waited in clusters on the premises and nearby roadside, constantly tracking television channels and scrolling through mobile phones for updates emerging from the national capital.
Every passing phone call or television flash triggered fresh speculation among the workers, many of whom expressed confidence that the senior Congress leader would finally get the nod from the party high command.
"Everyone here has strong hope and excitement. We believe Chennithala ji is the natural choice considering his long political and organisational experience," said a woman party worker waiting outside the residence.
Another supporter who travelled from Haripad described him as "a leader who lives in the hearts of Kerala people" and said party workers across the state were eagerly awaiting a favourable announcement.
The atmosphere outside the residence remained charged with expectation as supporters continued to gather while the Congress central leadership held crucial discussions in Delhi over the leadership issue.
Meanwhile, a few Congress MLAs, including Mohammed Shiyas, visited Satheesan's home in the morning. As the day progressed, a large crowd of his supporters gathered outside his residence, hoping for his selection as chief minister.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.