While West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam have already moved into governance mode, the Congress in Keralam remains paralysed by a high-stakes leadership deadlock. Despite a landslide victory that decimated the Left, the party is caught in a fierce tug-of-war between K.C. Venugopal, V.D. Satheesan, and Ramesh Chennithala. With the May 23 deadline for government formation looming, key ally IUML has expressed public frustration over the delay. What should have been a historic celebration of the UDF’s biggest win since the 1960s is rapidly devolving into a succession war that threatens to overshadow their massive mandate.