The senior Congress leader and union defence minister, Mr A.K. Antony, played a major role in ensuring that the choice of Mr Oommen Chandy as CLP leader was unanimous.
He conveyed to friends on Saturday that this was the high command’s wish, since it wanted to prevent any wrong surmises gaining currency.
Rumours had persisted that the KPCC president, Mr Ramesh Chennithala might be in the race. As late as Saturday, Mr Chennithala's friends dropped hints of a referendum within the party forum.
Their refrain was that the new cabinet would look minority-dominant, lending the impression that the Congress did not give adequate representation to the larger Hindu community.
But the fact was that even the Nair Service Society had made it clear to whoever mattered that Mr Chennithala had age on his side and should await his chance and let Mr Chandy complete a full term.
The job was finally left to the high command emissaries, Ms Mohsina Kiidwai and Mr Madhusudhnan Mistry to ensure a non-controversial passage for Mr Chandy at the CLP session.
The pragmatic Mr Chennithala told the media in the morning that he was not in the race. However, at the CLP meet, the KPCC chief gave himself away, the trademark smile gone, fumbling on the career milestones of Mr Chandy.