The war of words over Kerala’s leadership intensified on May 11, 2026, as senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala retaliated against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism regarding the delay in naming the state’s next Chief Minister. Responding to the PM’s “internal power struggle” jibe, Chennithala accused Modi of “memory loss,” pointing out that the BJP once took 50 days to finalize a CM in Delhi. While the UDF holds a commanding 102-seat majority, the race between V.D. Satheesan, K.C. Venugopal, and Chennithala remains undecided. Chennithala emphasized that the Congress follows a “democratic consultation” rather than an “authoritarian” mandate, with a final decision expected from the high command shortly.
