Congress MLA-designate Sandeep Varier, who won from Thrikkarippur, on Friday (May 8, 2026) appreciated the party’s “democratic process” of selecting the Chief Minister and said such a system did not exist in the BJP and the CPI(M).

Mr. Varier, who was a BJP leader before joining the Congress in 2024, contested on a Congress ticket in the recently concluded Assembly election in Kerala.

He met Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) State president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal in Malappuram.

After the meeting, reporters asked Mr. Varier about a photograph aired by a television channel showing a list allegedly held by AICC observer Mukul Wasnik while coming out after the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.

The list reportedly contained names of Congress MLAs and a column indicating their preferences for the Chief Minister’s post. A few leaders, including Mr. Varier, were shown as having marked "KC", which was interpreted as support for K C Venugopal for the Chief Minister’s post.

"KC" was reportedly written in front of the names of MLAs Sajeev Joseph, T O Mohanan, Sunny Joseph, Usha Vijayan and T Siddique, while “KC+RC” was written against the name of I C Balakrishnan.

"RC" was interpreted as a reference to senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who is also a contender for the Chief Minister’s post.

"In every democratic party, there should be internal democracy. Unfortunately, two parties that do not have such a system are the CPI(M) and the BJP. Their decisions are taken from one centre. CPI(M) has one centre of power, while in the BJP decisions come from Nagpur," he said.

He said that, in contrast, the Congress was “a democratic party.”

"As our opinions are sought, it shows the democratic beauty of the Congress party. It hears the opinion of all public representatives. It should happen like that," he said.

When specifically asked whether he supported K C Venugopal for the Chief Minister’s post, Mr. Varier said it was an internal matter of the party.

“It is an internal exercise. What was said there has to be evaluated by the party. I did not see the picture, hence I cannot comment on it,” he said.

He said people should appreciate that such an exercise was taking place in the Congress party.

Mr. Varier said the recent debates over the Chief Minister’s post were “natural.”

“If a leader is selected as Chief Minister without consulting MLAs, would that not be wrong? This is a democratic process. Congress has provided freedom to express opinions and raise slogans,” he said.

Mr. Varier said he did not know whether the IUML had taken a stand supporting V D Satheesan for the Chief Minister’s post.

He said every UDF and Congress leader would express their opinion.

"The party will take a final decision, which we all will accept," he said.