There is still no guarantee that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will unseat the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and its allies from power, but the alliance, particularly the Congress in Kerala, is increasingly getting dragged into the one question it wishes to avoid in public: Who will be the UDF’s Chief Minister if it comes to power?That was not a big question for the Congress in the past. When late party veteran K Karunakaran was on the scene, there was not even a shred of doubt about who would be the Chief Minister. It was no different when AK Antony, widely respected for his spartan ways and quiet disposition, was active in state politics, though a fringe almost imperceptibly rooted for his right-hand man, the late Oommen Chandy. When it was Chandy’s turn, there were no challengers.On the other hand, leaders of the stature of EK Nayanar, VS Achuthanandan, KR Gowri, Suseela Gopalan and many others in the CPM, which heads the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), have contended with this question several times in the past. In 1987, there was a strong allegation that Gowri was overlooked in favour of Nayanar. In 1996, the same thing happened; Suseela Gopalan was the loser. If either of them had been chosen for the top job, CPM would have scripted history, but that was not to be.By the time the party returned to power in 2006, Achuthanandan had emerged as a certain choice though he was almost denied the party ticket to contest the poll. Over the past three rounds, the CPM had little difficulty deciding who would be Chief Minister. By then, Pinarayi Vijayan had emerged as the party’s single most important leader in the state. Although, of late, there have been feeble suggestions that former Health Minister KK Shylaja should be considered for the job, it’s Pinarayi Vijayan all the way for LDF this time as well.The shoe, as the saying goes, is on the other foot this time. The absence of a legacy leader of the stature of Karunakaran, Antony and Oomen Chandy has left the Congress in Kerala with a tough leadership question to solve. For months, the Congress leadership evaded the “CM question” with diplomatic ambiguity, maintaining that the “most capable candidate” would be chosen post-election. However, the facade of unity has cracked.Two party heavyweights—former KPCC president K Sudhakaran and veteran leader PJ Kurien—have now come out in swinging support of former Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, effectively muddying the waters for the incumbent LoP VD Satheesan, long considered the natural frontrunner.K Sudhakaran lit the spark by openly endorsing Chennithala’s claim to the top job during a media interaction on Wednesday. “Ramesh Chennithala is a senior, mature leader and, if the UDF comes to power, it is my desire and recommendation that he becomes the Chief Minister,” Sudhakaran said. Former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Kurien echoed this sentiment during a UDF convention in Thiruvalla. With Chennithala sharing the stage, Kurien declared, “We will win this election and Ramesh will be the Chief Minister. Ramesh says the party will decide, but I have no doubt.”Satheesan was quick to dismiss these claims, reminding the veterans of the AICC protocol. Drawing parallels to recent victories in Telangana and Karnataka, Satheesan remarked that individual opinions do not dictate party procedure. “There is no ‘CM discussion’ currently active within the party. The high command has a set process that senior leaders are well aware of,” he countered. Ramesh Chennithala also weighed in, stating that there was no need to stir up discussions regarding the Chief Minister post at this juncture.The friction between Sudhakaran and Satheesan is rooted in recent organisational history. Sudhakaran remains aggrieved by Satheesan’s firm stance against allowing sitting MPs to contest the Assembly elections—a move that directly impacted Sudhakaran’s prospects. Their relationship soured during Sudhakaran’s tenure as KPCC chief, which reportedly ended prematurely due to Satheesan’s uncompromising interventions.By backing Chennithala, Sudhakaran could well be settling political scores. Whether that would go down well with the Congress high command is another question. If it doesn’t, Sudhakaran and Kurien may have done Chennithala a disservice.While the current battle lines are drawn between Satheesan and Chennithala, the shadow of AICC general secretary KC Venugopal looms large. Though Venugopal has consistently sidestepped questions regarding his chief ministerial ambitions with a trademark smile, he remains a formidable dark horse should the high command decide on a consensus candidate from New Delhi. Regardless of how the dice falls, the UDF faces the challenge of presenting a united front to the electorate while its top brass remains locked in a battle for the state’s highest office.