On May 11, 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought to amplify the ongoing power struggle within the Congress party regarding the Chief Minister position in Kerala. BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar made a provocative comment on social media, neither confirming nor denying a preference for All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal for the role. This remark was made in the context of social media speculation that the BJP's Kerala unit was at odds with its national leadership over potential candidates, including V.D. Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also weighed in, alleging that factional conflicts within Congress were hindering leadership decisions, despite the party's recent electoral success. In response, Congress leader M. Liju asserted the party's resilience, emphasizing faith in leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallika Arjun Kharge. Chennithala pointedly reminded that the BJP took 50 days to announce its Chief Minister in Haryana, suggesting that the BJP's own leadership issues are noteworthy amidst its criticism of Congress.