Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Celebrations erupted across Kerala on Thursday after V D Satheesan was selected by the Congress High Command as the next Chief Minister of the state.

Satheesan was at the Contonment House in Thiruvananthapuram, the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition, when AICC leaders announced it in New Delhi.

Soon after the announcement, jubilant Satheesan supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets in several parts of the state.

Paravur in Ernakulam district, the Assembly constituency he has represented since 2001, witnessed large-scale celebrations.

Satheesan was widely seen as the frontrunner for the post, with UDF allies also backing his candidature during the selection process.

As the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, he led the UDF both inside and outside the House.

Apart from Satheesan, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala and Congress MP K C Venugopal were also considered for the post.

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Janjgir (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): An elderly couple and their two grandchildren were allegedly murdered by two close relatives to grab family property in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district, police said on Thursday.

The couple’s one son, who had earlier spent 15 years in jail for killing his own brother, and his son have been taken into custody in connection with the murders, an official said.

The bodies were found inside their under-construction house in Bhanvtara village under the jurisdiction of the Shivrinarayan police station after labourers reached the site for work in the morning, a senior police official said.

The deceased were identified as Medani Prasad Kashyap (70), his wife Kanti Bai (65), their grandchildren Pitambar Kashyap (17) and Mogra (25).

The deceased couple’s son, Sonsai, and his son Dakeshwar have been taken into custody in connection with the murders, the official said.

According to the preliminary investigation, Medani Prasad had three sons, including Sonsai. Police said Sonsai had murdered one of his brothers in the past and had served a 15-year jail term in the case, while the couple’s third son had reportedly died by suicide.

Sonsai and his son Dakeshwar, alias Golu, allegedly killed his parents and the children of his two deceased brothers with an axe while they were asleep in the under-construction house, he said.

Pitambar was the only son of one deceased brother, while Mogra was the only daughter of another, the official said.

The accused allegedly wanted sole ownership of the family property and are suspected of having committed the crime to eliminate other claimants, police said.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, the official added.