<h4>Orange alert as rain leaves Gurugram waterlogged; disrupts traffic</h4> <h4>The Sector 52A market was among the most affected areas
Latest News

Orange alert as rain leaves Gurugram waterlogged; disrupts traffic The Sector 52A market was among the most affected areas, with visuals showing commuters wading through knee-deep water Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:14:38 IST By Sampurna Panigrahi, Mihika Shah

<h4>‘Buy buy buy!’: Foreign tourist reacts to duty-free shopping after Delhi immigration</h4> <h4>A foreign tourist has posted a video of
Latest News

‘Buy buy buy!’: Foreign tourist reacts to duty-free shopping after Delhi immigration A foreign tourist has posted a video of his Delhi airport experience, questioning the shopping pitches he encountered just after immigration. Published on: Aug 24, 2026

<h4>India security chief visits China for border talks</h4> <h4>India security chief visits China for border talks</h4> Published on:
Latest News

India security chief visits China for border talks India security chief visits China for border talks Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:06:38 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link India's top security official arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks on the countries' disputed Himalayan border

Twenty-one former international cricket captains, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, on Sunday urged Pakistan to ensure that
Latest News

Twenty-one former international cricket captains, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, on Sunday urged Pakistan to ensure that former Prime Minister Imran Khan is examined by a medical board, as directed by the country’s Supreme Court, The Hindu reported

A 25-year-old entrepreneur with a net worth of around ₹4.35 crore has turned to Reddit for advice after a sharp decline in the business that helped him build
Latest News

A 25-year-old entrepreneur with a net worth of around ₹4.35 crore has turned to Reddit for advice after a sharp decline in the business that helped him build his fortune. Despite his wealth, he says he is now unsure about what to do next and feels “completely lost

Not a chief guests, celebrity or VIP, but a humanoid robot stole the spotlight at a sandwich shop inauguration. A video from the celebratory event has gone
Latest News

Not a chief guests, celebrity or VIP, but a humanoid robot stole the spotlight at a sandwich shop inauguration. A video from the celebratory event has gone viral, where the robot was seen arriving at the venue with bodyguards. It then proceeded to greet guests and even broke into a dance

<h4>‘Jo bhi hai, tera ghar hai’: American compares Indian and US hospitality</h4> <h4>An American Hindi speaker’s take on Indian
Latest News

‘Jo bhi hai, tera ghar hai’: American compares Indian and US hospitality An American Hindi speaker’s take on Indian hospitality has viewers discussing the differences between socialising in India and the US. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:31:09 IST By Vaishali Kapila Prefer HTon Google Share

<h4>Manipur: 1 CRPF personnel injured, 2 houses burnt by unknown armed individuals</h4> <h4>The gunfight broke out after two houses belonging
Latest News

Manipur: 1 CRPF personnel injured, 2 houses burnt by unknown armed individuals The gunfight broke out after two houses belonging to separate communities were set ablaze by an unidentified group of people Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:49:38 IST By Thomas Ngangom

Split tenure plan was shot down in Kerala CM talks

Posted By: Anita Mamgai Posted On: May 16, 2026Share Article
Split tenure plan was shot down in Kerala CM talks
VD Satheesan is a key Congress leader in Kerala who served as the Leader of Opposition in Kerala's legislative assembly during Communist Party of India's

Split tenure plan for Kerala CM post shot down in Delhi during Congress leadership talks

Split tenure plan for Kerala CM post shot down in Delhi during Congress leadership talks

On Thursday, the party announced their choice as VD Satheesan, the 61-year-old leader of opposition. There were no deputy chief ministers announced.

Updated on: May 16, 2026 7:39 AM IST By Sunetra Choudhury Share via Copy link The consultations for choosing a chief minister for Kerala seems to have ended Congress’s tryst with a contentious concept — secret power sharings arrangement between two chief ministerial aspirants as exhibited in Chattisgarh 2018 and Karnataka 2023. HT learns that at some point in the 10 days of negotiations, a power sharing arrangement was floated but dismissed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. VD Satheesan is a key Congress leader in Kerala who served as the Leader of Opposition in Kerala's legislative assembly during Communist Party of India's (Marxist) rule. According to two persons aware of the details, when someone suggested KC Venugopal take the CM’s chair for 2.5 years and then vacate it for VD Satheesan, the final arbiters- -Kharge and Gandhi- -said this formula had failed to hold. On Thursday, the party announced their choice as VD Satheesan, the 61-year-old leader of opposition. There were no deputy chief ministers announced. Also read | 'A CM shouldn't cry like this': VD Satheesan's emotional visit to late mentor's home | Watch It’s a realization that many feel should have happened earlier, at least before a similar arrangement was worked out between Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. Because by then, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel had gone back on his promise to make way for TS Singh Deo in Raipur. To be sure, these power sharing arrangements have never been talked about openly as by doing so, it would undermine the chief minister’s position as one who was only temporary. However, in both states, supporters of the parties involved have often raised these arrangements to demand their respective leaders’ share. “These are things that take place behind the scenes we cant talk about it openly”, is all that Deo would say when contacted by HT on Friday. The fact that such an arrangement was worked out with Rahul Gandhi as witness in 2018 didn’t have any sway when Baghel paraded a majority of the legislators as a show of strength. In fact, the subsequent elections also saw Congress get a drubbing because of infighting between the two leaders in the run-up and during the campaign. Similarly, the tension between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar has been a constant in Karnataka since government formation in 2023. Also read | Student leader to state head: Rise of VD Satheesan Neither did Kharge’s office nor Gandhi’s. or observers involved with the selection process, respond to HT’s queries. However, election manager to both Deo and DK Shivakumar, Naresh Arora said that Congress has paid dearly for such an arrangement. “Despite that (Chattisgarh) experience, similar conversations continued to surface elsewhere, including Karnataka, where even after spending nearly ₹52,000 crore annually on welfare guarantees, the dominant political conversation remains whether Siddaramaiah will eventually make way for D.K. Shivakumar,’’ he said, adding, “A Chief Minister functioning under constant transition pressure inevitably spends more energy protecting the chair than governing the state. Such arrangements rarely create stability; they institutionalise insecurity.” The other idea that Congress seemed to have cooled on is having deputy chief ministers, the power sharing that was worked out between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in 2018. Like Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, Gehlot too used his position to consolidate his support among MLAs, leading to bitterness inside the party. HT reached out to Sachin Pilot also but didn’t get any response. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sunetra Choudhury Sunetra Choudhury is the National Political Editor of the Hindustan Times. With over two decades of experience in print and television, she has authored Black Warrant (Roli,2019), Behind Bars: Prison Tales of India’s Most Famous (Roli,2017) and Braking News (Hachette, 2010). Sunetra is the recipient of the Red Ink award in journalism in 2016 and Mary Morgan Hewett award in 2018.Read More Congress Chief Minister Karnataka Kerala Check India news real-time updates, latest news, CBSE 12th Result 2026 LIVE from India on Hindustan Times and more across India. Home/India News/Split Tenure Plan For Kerala CM Post Shot Down In Delhi During Congress Leadership Talks See Less

The consultations for choosing a chief minister for Kerala seems to have ended Congress’s tryst with a contentious concept — secret power sharings arrangement between two chief ministerial aspirants as exhibited in Chattisgarh 2018 and Karnataka 2023. HT learns that at some point in the 10 days of negotiations, a power sharing arrangement was floated but dismissed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

According to two persons aware of the details, when someone suggested KC Venugopal take the CM’s chair for 2.5 years and then vacate it for VD Satheesan, the final arbiters- -Kharge and Gandhi- -said this formula had failed to hold. On Thursday, the party announced their choice as VD Satheesan, the 61-year-old leader of opposition. There were no deputy chief ministers announced.

Also read | 'A CM shouldn't cry like this': VD Satheesan's emotional visit to late mentor's home | Watch

It’s a realization that many feel should have happened earlier, at least before a similar arrangement was worked out between Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. Because by then, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel had gone back on his promise to make way for TS Singh Deo in Raipur. To be sure, these power sharing arrangements have never been talked about openly as by doing so, it would undermine the chief minister’s position as one who was only temporary. However, in both states, supporters of the parties involved have often raised these arrangements to demand their respective leaders’ share.

“These are things that take place behind the scenes we cant talk about it openly”, is all that Deo would say when contacted by HT on Friday. The fact that such an arrangement was worked out with Rahul Gandhi as witness in 2018 didn’t have any sway when Baghel paraded a majority of the legislators as a show of strength. In fact, the subsequent elections also saw Congress get a drubbing because of infighting between the two leaders in the run-up and during the campaign. Similarly, the tension between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar has been a constant in Karnataka since government formation in 2023.

Also read | Student leader to state head: Rise of VD Satheesan

Neither did Kharge’s office nor Gandhi’s. or observers involved with the selection process, respond to HT’s queries.

However, election manager to both Deo and DK Shivakumar, Naresh Arora said that Congress has paid dearly for such an arrangement. “Despite that (Chattisgarh) experience, similar conversations continued to surface elsewhere, including Karnataka, where even after spending nearly ₹52,000 crore annually on welfare guarantees, the dominant political conversation remains whether Siddaramaiah will eventually make way for D.K. Shivakumar,’’ he said, adding, “A Chief Minister functioning under constant transition pressure inevitably spends more energy protecting the chair than governing the state. Such arrangements rarely create stability; they institutionalise insecurity.”

The other idea that Congress seemed to have cooled on is having deputy chief ministers, the power sharing that was worked out between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in 2018. Like Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, Gehlot too used his position to consolidate his support among MLAs, leading to bitterness inside the party.

HT reached out to Sachin Pilot also but didn’t get any response.

Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: chief minister,Kerala,power sharing,Congress,Karnataka

Comment on Post

Leave a comment

If you have a News Orbit 360 user account, your address will be used to display your profile picture.


<h4>No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka: Minister Khader</h4> <h4>No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka: Minister
Latest News
No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka

No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka: Minister Khader No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka: Minister Khader Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:51:09 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Bengaluru, Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader on Monday assured the public that there was no

8 hours ago

<h4>‘You endorse misogyny, cut the crap’: Shehzad Poonawalla joins BJP attack on Rahul Gandhi's ‘smash patriarchy’ call</h4>
Latest News
You endorse misogyny

‘You endorse misogyny, cut the crap’: Shehzad Poonawalla joins BJP attack on Rahul Gandhi's ‘smash patriarchy’ call Shehzad Poonawalla and BJP were responding to Rahul Gandhi's call to "smash the patriarchy" during his party's 'Chhatro ki Goonj' programme in Pune. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026

11 hours ago

For Delhi-NCR residents, Guleria struck a reassuring note while explaining why this year’s wave has felt worse, but citizens need not panic The H1N1 virus
Latest News
No Need To Panic

For Delhi-NCR residents, Guleria struck a reassuring note while explaining why this year’s wave has felt worse, but citizens need not panic The H1N1 virus driving Delhi-NCR’s current flu surge appears to be changing its structure — a process that is making it spread faster and slip past the

11 hours ago

A job applicant’s unusual rejection from a software engineering internship has left the internet divided after the candidate was reportedly turned down over
Latest News
Techie Loses Internship Over ‘Creative’ Resume File Name

A job applicant’s unusual rejection from a software engineering internship has left the internet divided after the candidate was reportedly turned down over the name of their resume file. The incident was highlighted in a now-viral post on X by user @adnaannasir_

11 hours ago

<h4>Elderly woman killed, husband injured in SUV hit-and-run at Delhi's posh GK-1</h4> <h4>The woman, identified as Shashi
Latest News
Elderly woman killed

Elderly woman killed, husband injured in SUV hit-and-run at Delhi's posh GK-1 The woman, identified as Shashi, was declared brought dead at the hospital, while her husband Kulbhushan (65), was left injured. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 11:00:26 IST By HT News Desk Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy

11 hours ago

<h4>Woman reflects on high-rise living in big cities: ‘Even the slice of the sky is fixed for us’</h4> <h4>A woman shared her thoughts on
Latest News
Woman questions high-rise life after moving away from hometown

Woman reflects on high-rise living in big cities: ‘Even the slice of the sky is fixed for us’ A woman shared her thoughts on high-rise life, saying big-city living can feel confined despite better work opportunities. Published on: Aug 24, 2026

11 hours ago

Governor Abdullah Sarhadi gives money to treat a boy's broken arm and hands out funds for a local mosque - then, in his office in northern Afghanistan
Latest News
Divorce, smartphones and control - BBC sees how Taliban run Afghanistan

Governor Abdullah Sarhadi gives money to treat a boy's broken arm and hands out funds for a local mosque - then, in his office in northern Afghanistan, an astonishing exchange unfolds. A young woman tells the grey-bearded former Taliban commander that she wants to divorce her husband

11 hours ago

Andy Burnham is marking his first foreign visit as prime minister with a trip to Kyiv - and will hand over blueprints so Ukraine can build its own long-range
Latest News
UK PM Burnham to visit Kyiv on first foreign trip and reaffirm support for Ukraine

Andy Burnham is marking his first foreign visit as prime minister with a trip to Kyiv - and will hand over blueprints so Ukraine can build its own long-range missiles. The prime minister will chair his first meeting of the "coalition of the willing"

11 hours ago

Apple’s next iPhone launch is getting closer, and the company’s usual September schedule is beginning to take shape. According to a recent Forbes report
Latest News
iPhone 18 series launch timeline

Apple’s next iPhone launch is getting closer, and the company’s usual September schedule is beginning to take shape. According to a recent Forbes report, Apple could hold its special event on Wednesday, September 9, where it is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

11 hours ago

Fugitive gangster Goldy Brar has, in an audio clip, purportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in
Latest News
Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder

Fugitive gangster Goldy Brar has, in an audio clip, purportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, The Indian Express reported. The newspaper said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip

11 hours ago

<h4>Dad crashes daughter’s late-night work meeting over parcels: ‘Ek paise ki saving nahi karti’</h4> <h4>A father’s surprise
Latest News
Dad crashes daughter’s late-night work meeting over parcels

Dad crashes daughter’s late-night work meeting over parcels: ‘Ek paise ki saving nahi karti’ A father’s surprise appearance during his daughter’s work call turns into a lecture on spending and saving. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 10:56:44 IST By Vaishali Kapila Prefer HTon Google Share via

11 hours ago

A Zimbabwean content creator’s tongue-in-cheek take on life in India has caught the attention of social media users after he shared 10 everyday conveniences
Latest News
Get Him Aadhaar Card

A Zimbabwean content creator’s tongue-in-cheek take on life in India has caught the attention of social media users after he shared 10 everyday conveniences that have completely changed his standard of living. From paying for almost everything with just a phone to having food

11 hours ago

Starting September 1, passengers traveling internationally will be required to use an e-boarding pass on their smartphones for immigration clearance
Latest News
International travelers will no longer need boarding pass stamps due to a new immigration policy starting September 1

Starting September 1, passengers traveling internationally will be required to use an e-boarding pass on their smartphones for immigration clearance, as announced by immigration authorities. This significant change comes as the Bureau of Immigration (BOI)

14 hours ago

The September 2026 US Visa Bulletin brings a mixed picture for Indian green card applicants. While some family-sponsored categories have moved forward
Latest News
Green card delay for Indians takes another turn

The September 2026 US Visa Bulletin brings a mixed picture for Indian green card applicants. While some family-sponsored categories have moved forward, several employment-based categories remain severely constrained, with two India-specific categories listed as unavailable and the State Department

14 hours ago

The Maharashtra Transport Department has issued notices to 777 drivers for lacking practical knowledge of Marathi, The Hindu quoted unidentified officials as
Latest News
More than 700 drivers issued notices for lack of basic Marathi skills

The Maharashtra Transport Department has issued notices to 777 drivers for lacking practical knowledge of Marathi, The Hindu quoted unidentified officials as saying on Saturday. A total of 5,211 drivers were tested during a statewide inspection campaign that began on August 20, including 3

14 hours ago

<h4>19-year-old killed, friend injured after truck hits motorcycle on Delhi's Indraprastha flyover</h4> <h4>A police team reached the spot
Latest News
19-year-old killed

19-year-old killed, friend injured after truck hits motorcycle on Delhi's Indraprastha flyover A police team reached the spot and found a motorcycle lying in a damaged condition and two people seriously injured. One of them died in the hospital. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026

14 hours ago

<h4>Indian woman reveals why her family returned to India after 13 years in US: ‘You don’t really belong here’</h4> <h4>A woman shared
Latest News
Woman reveals why her family returned to India after 13 years in US

Indian woman reveals why her family returned to India after 13 years in US: ‘You don’t really belong here’ A woman shared five reasons her family decided to leave the US and return to India after 13 years. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:43:56 IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Prefer HTon Google

14 hours ago

<h4>New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday: office</h4> <h4>New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday:
Latest News
New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday

New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday: office New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday: office Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:41:28 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Kyiv on Monday on his first international

14 hours ago

<h4>Bengaluru vs Gurgaon? Man who lived in both cities explains why the comparison is ‘completely pointless’</h4> <h4>A man said the
Latest News
Man weighs in on Bengaluru vs Gurgaon debate

Bengaluru vs Gurgaon? Man who lived in both cities explains why the comparison is ‘completely pointless’ A man said the Bengaluru versus Gurgaon debate was pointless and urged people to live in both cities before deciding. Published on: Aug 24, 2026

14 hours ago

Circle Wealth CIO and Managing Partner Chadha said the market was rewarding companies with strong earnings and improving outlooks
Latest News
New market high by Diwali

Circle Wealth CIO and Managing Partner Chadha said the market was rewarding companies with strong earnings and improving outlooks, even as large-cap stocks remained under pressure. Diwali season is expected to bring a fresh boost for Indian equities following strong corporate earnings

14 hours ago

The restriction was imposed under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which governs the import, manufacture, distribution
Latest News
Rules tightened on cold medicines for children under 4

The restriction was imposed under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which governs the import, manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs and cosmetics. The central government on Saturday restricted the manufacturing, sale and distribution of all fixed-dose combinations (FDCs)

14 hours ago

<h4>Ukraine backers gather as war escalates, air defence runs low</h4> <h4>Ukraine backers gather as war escalates
Latest News
Ukraine backers gather as war escalates

Ukraine backers gather as war escalates, air defence runs low Ukraine backers gather as war escalates, air defence runs low Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:41:29 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Ukraine on Monday hosts a meeting of its key European backers to press for critical

14 hours ago

<h4>'Trouble proving citizenship after representing India in 3 countries': Ex-envoy to ECI over Punjab SIR</h4> <h4>Suri served as India’s
Latest News
Trouble proving citizenship after representing India

'Trouble proving citizenship after representing India in 3 countries': Ex-envoy to ECI over Punjab SIR Suri served as India’s ambassador to the UAE and Egypt and high commissioner to Australia. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:34:33 IST By HT Correspondent Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link

14 hours ago

<h4>2 killed after illegal building in Hyderabad's Gachibowli caves in</h4> <h4>Officials alleged that the building was built over or
Latest News
2 killed after illegal building in Hyderabad's Gachibowli caves in

2 killed after illegal building in Hyderabad's Gachibowli caves in Officials alleged that the building was built over or adjacent to a drain without the required permissions. Published on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:41:02 IST By Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link At least two

1 days ago

<h4>J'khand: Compensation of ₹31 lakh each given to families of 3 engineers burnt alive at steel plant</h4> <h4>J'khand: Compensation of
Latest News
Compensation of ₹31 lakh each given to families of 3 engineers burnt alive at steel plant

J'khand: Compensation of ₹31 lakh each given to families of 3 engineers burnt alive at steel plant J'khand: Compensation of ₹31 lakh each given to families of 3 engineers burnt alive at steel plant Published on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:43:04 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Ramgarh

1 days ago

<h4>Jaiñtia Hills to the G7: Can Meghalaya turn ‘Lakadong’ into a global brand?</h4> <h4>The high-curcumin turmeric has gone from an
Latest News
Jaiñtia Hills to the G7

Jaiñtia Hills to the G7: Can Meghalaya turn ‘Lakadong’ into a global brand? The high-curcumin turmeric has gone from an obscure hill crop to a GI-tagged premium product showcased before world leaders. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:48:20 IST By David Laitphlang

1 days ago

<h4>Ex-NRI shares why she takes auto for 1 km ride to gym after moving to India: 'Life here is a compromise'</h4> <h4>The woman shared that
Latest News
Ex-NRI shares why she takes auto for 1 km ride to gym after moving to India

Ex-NRI shares why she takes auto for 1 km ride to gym after moving to India: 'Life here is a compromise' The woman shared that she has to walk through an area where "everybody stares", while the pathway is "ubad-khabad", dirty and encroached. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026

1 days ago