Mallikarjun

Posters targeting Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge appeared on the Wayanad Congress office walls, with threats of defeating Vadra in the next election and warning Wayanad could become the next Amethi. Police have registered a case and are using CCTV footage to identify the culprit.

Congress leadership is nearing a decision to end Kerala's week-long Chief Minister deadlock after internal party discussions. Senior leaders, including Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, are expected to finalize the successor to the Left Front's decade-long rule. The prolonged uncertainty has somewhat dulled the UDF's election victory, with three prominent figures vying for the top post.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed speculation of a rift with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, stating they will visit Delhi if summoned by the party high command. This comes after a meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge amid ongoing rumors about leadership tussle within the state government.

Opposition parties are criticizing PM Modi's call for austerity amidst the West Asia crisis, labeling it a tactic to evade accountability for economic failures. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge argue the PM is shifting responsibility onto the public. Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav also questioned the timing and perceived hypocrisy of these austerity demands.

KPCC president Sunny Joseph stated that AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will soon announce Kerala's next chief minister after interviewing three contenders. Joseph indicated no further state-level discussions are needed, with the Congress leadership holding the final decision. Camps backing K.C. Venugopal, V.D. Satheesan, and Ramesh Chennithala remain hopeful, each presenting their case to the high command.

Congress is expanding consultations to select Kerala's new chief minister, with AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and leader of opposition V D Satheesan vying for the top post. The party leadership is engaging with former state presidents and other leaders to ensure the final nominee is well-received, amid speculation and potential backlash.

The Kerala Congress leadership change has fueled speculation in Karnataka, with Deputy CM D K Shivakumar's supporters pushing for his elevation to the top post. While the party high command has publicly backed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar's camp sees the Kerala development as a hopeful precedent. The approaching three-year mark of the government's term intensifies the debate over leadership transition.

After days of intense consultations, the Congress has chosen VD Satheesan as the next chief minister of Kerala. The announcement follows the Congress-led UDF's decisive victory in the state elections, ending the Left Democratic Front's second consecutive term. Satheesan emerged as the preferred candidate over KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala.

Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting toffees to Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in Rome, while accusing him of "laughing and filming reels" amid the struggles of farmers, youth, women, workers, and small traders in India. Gandhi deemed the gesture "a farce" and not leadership, contrasting it with an "economic storm" brewing domestically.