The Congress party is poised to announce the next Chief Minister of Kerala, potentially by Tuesday evening, with an oath ceremony as early as May 15. KC Venugopal, who has the backing of 47 out of 63 Congress MLAs, is currently the frontrunner. However, the situation is complicated by VD Satheesan, the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, who is gaining support from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). This alliance raises concerns within Congress about accusations of appeasement from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Satheesan has made it clear that he will only accept the Chief Minister position, which could lead to significant challenges for Venugopal if he is appointed. The Congress leadership is attempting to build consensus amid rising factionalism, and posters advocating for Satheesan's elevation are appearing across the state. If Venugopal becomes Chief Minister, by-elections will be required for both a state assembly seat and a Lok Sabha seat within six months. Additionally, Congress will need to appoint a new General Secretary (Organization) to replace Venugopal, with Ramesh Chennithala emerging as a potential candidate.