Keralam: CLP Leader Satheesan Stakes Claim to form New Government

In Keralam, Senior Congress leader V. D. Satheesan met Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar this evening and formally staked his claim to form the government.

Earlier, the Congress Legislative Party met this evening at Thiruvananthapuram and elected V. D. Satheesan as its leader. It is reported that another senior leader, Ramesh Chennithala was not present in the parliamentary party meeting.

The national leadership of the Congress in New Delhi announced V. D. Satheesan as the leader of the legislative party. This decision was announced after continuous discussions at Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi over the past ten days following the election results on May 4.

V. D. Satheesan said he would take all the leaders into confidence. He also said that K. C. Venugopal is his leader and had greatly helped the UDF during the elections. The Congress party and the UDF constituent parties are now discussing the ministers in the upcoming V. D. Satheesan ministry. The searing ceremony is expected to be on Monday. Meanwhile, outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was elected as the Legislative Party Leader of CPM.