Kerala has handed one of its strongest verdicts in decades to the Congress-led UDF—and now attention has shifted to who will occupy the Chief Minister’s office. On counting day, while trends were still taking shape, Shashi Tharoor offers his perspective on the leadership debate, reflects upon Ramesh Chennithala’s long-standing aspirations, and discusses how moving beyond the 100-seat threshold changes the coalition equation. Tharoor also describes the hurdles awaiting the incoming CM, portraying a state he says is effectively bankrupt and deeply dependent on liquor income, remittances, and lottery earnings. In the middle of the celebrations, we ask him: what happens next?