Pathanamthitta (Kerala), April 6 Congress MP K Sudhakaran on Monday backed senior leader Ramesh Chennithala as the chief ministerial candidate if the UDF comes to power in the April 9 assembly polls and said he hopes Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan will not have to go into "political exile."
Responding to a reporter's question on whether he preferred Chennithala as CM, Sudhakaran said leaders are entitled to express their views when a candidate for the post is being considered.
"I have stated the name of a person, and I still stand by it," he added.
Sudhakaran had earlier also expressed support for Chennithala as CM if the UDF wins the election.
On Rahul Gandhi's remark that he looks forward to Kerala having a woman CM, Sudhakaran said that was his personal opinion.
He noted that the choice of chief minister depends on the political situation and cannot be predicted in advance.
Referring to Satheesan's statement that he would go into political exile if the UDF fails to secure a decisive victory, Sudhakaran said he hoped such a situation would not arise.
"If anything like that happens, he will have to go. So we are praying that he does not have to go into exile. If the situation turns unfavourable, he may have to keep his word," Sudhakaran said, adding that he would be saddened if such a situation occurred.
There have been reports of differences between Sudhakaran and Satheesan in the past, particularly during the former's tenure as KPCC president.