For over a week, the assumption inside Congress circles was that KC Venugopal was headed to his home state Kerala as the high command’s preferred choice for Chief Minister. During the crucial 10-day period when the leadership decision was being shaped in Delhi, KC’s name repeatedly surfaced as the frontrunner, seen by many as the natural reward for being among Rahul Gandhi’s closest political confidants.
But on the morning of May 14, when the final call was communicated, something shifted dramatically.
Even leaders who had until then vociferously opposed VD Satheesan as the CM choice confirmed that Satheesan had emerged as Delhi’s final pick.
So what changed between May 4 and May 14, and why has the whole process left Rahul Gandhi’s lieutenant unhappy?
When central observers arrived in Kerala to hold consultations with MLAs, the numbers initially appeared to favour KC comfortably. As The News Minute had reported in its Powertrip newsletter, around 43 of Congress’s 63 MLAs were believed to have backed KC for the chief minister’s post in the first round of interactions.
But the picture changed in the more private, one-on-one conversations that followed. In those subsequent interactions, over 33 MLAs are said to have expressed support for Satheesan, while around 22 continued backing KC.
Until the final meeting, many in the Congress still believed KC would emerge as the consensus choice.
Then Delhi changed course.
According to multiple Congress sources, the final turn in Kerala’s leadership contest happened quietly in Delhi over the course of a few days.
When KC met Rahul Gandhi at his Delhi residence on the morning of May 14, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also present, he was informed that VD Satheesan had been chosen as the Chief Minister.
Leaders familiar with the discussions say Rahul Gandhi had already leaned towards Satheesan for at least two or three days. But the decision remained confined to a small group within the leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Even KC remained blissfully unaware.
Congress insiders say the final decision ultimately came down to two factors: alliance management and political perception.
The Indian Union Muslim League strongly favoured Satheesan. Sources close to KC believe Priyanka Gandhi was also more receptive to the IUML’s position given the party’s influence in Wayanad and nearby regions, where she is now MP. She is believed to have weighed in heavily on Rahul Gandhi to go with Satheesan.
By the final round of consultations, several Congress leaders say the leadership had begun viewing Satheesan as the candidate around whom the least internal resistance would emerge.
That shift was reflected in the legislature party as well.
Malayalam news reports and Congress sources say several MLAs who had initially backed KC later changed their stand after private conversations with senior leaders in Delhi.
Among the changes that reportedly surprised the KC camp was the position taken by KPCC president Sunny Joseph. According to sources close to KC, Sunny Joseph had initially appeared supportive of his candidature before later informing the leadership that he was stepping back from that position.
There were also differing accounts regarding AK Antony’s role in the process. While some reports suggested Antony openly backed Satheesan, leaders familiar with the discussions told TNM that his intervention was more procedural than political.
A top source told us that Antony met Sonia and Rahul Gandhi separately and did not outright support anyone. However, he kept insisting that a bye-election would not be good for the party. KC, a Lok Sabha MP, would have to contest Assembly bye-polls if he had become Chief Minister.
Another consideration for the leadership was the possibility that a prolonged power struggle could spill into the public domain and deepen factional tensions. Several leaders said the central leadership was keen to avoid an open confrontation that could damage the party ahead of the election cycle.
According to sources close to KC, he was not given an opportunity to voluntarily withdraw his candidature and remained under the impression until the morning of May 14 that he was still being seriously considered.
The episode has also triggered a wider conversation inside the Congress about how power now operates within the party.
“KC wanted to contest from Kerala, Rahul Gandhi said that was not necessary. If staying away from the Assembly polls eventually weighed against KC, then that was never his decision,” a source said.
Some said that the decision that Satheesan would be Chief Minister should have been conveyed to KC earlier. “He was informed only on the morning of May 14. For months, KC was thinking that he would be the CM, and he became sure about it as it became clear that Rahul didn’t share as much of a good rapport with Satheesan. But on the last day he was told that he would have to step aside,” a leader said.
A leader close to Satheesan, however, disagreed. “Satheesan has been on the ground, leading the charge against the Left. Many leaders wanted to be CM. KC’s advantage was his closeness to the high command. But that should never have been the deciding factor.”
For years, proximity to the Gandhi family was often viewed as a pathway to political advancement. KC represented that model closely. As one of Rahul Gandhi’s most trusted political aides, he handled organisational affairs, appointments, ticket distribution, and negotiations during some of the party’s most difficult phases.
But several Congress leaders close to KC now see the Kerala episode as an indication that proximity to Delhi alone is no longer enough and KC was not rewarded despite it.
Others think that under Rahul Gandhi, closeness to the leadership may still matter but it may not be enough if groundwork is lacking.
As for KC Venugopal, many close to him believe he will now change course. Perhaps become active in Kerala politics rather than remain a national organiser for the party.
