Thiruvananthapuram, March 20 In his first detailed reaction after the Congress high command wrapped up the contentious seat selection process, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan on Friday struck a combative yet confident note, asserting that the United Democratic Front (UDF) had completed one of the fastest and most cohesive candidate finalisations in its history.
Addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan said all 140 candidates of the UDF had been announced without “even a single discordant note,” underlining that the coalition functioned as a unified “Team UDF.”
He acknowledged that allies, including the Kerala Congress, made temporary compromises, but stressed that the process was inclusive and consensus driven.
Dismissing criticism over a perceived delay in releasing the Congress list, Satheesan explained that the party follows a structured and consultative mechanism, unlike rivals.
The state leadership submits recommendations to the screening committee headed by Madhusudhan Mistry, after which the central election committee led by Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi takes the final call.
“Even then, within 48 hours, the first list was out,” he noted, attributing the brief delay to Mistry’s health issues.
The Congress leader launched a sharp attack on sections of the media, accusing them of running a sustained campaign of fabricated stories to portray divisions within the party.
He alleged that in the past 48 hours alone, multiple “false narratives” were aired, including speculative reports on whether MPs like K. Sudhakaran and Adoor Prakash would contest.
Satheesan categorically denied reports claiming he had threatened to resign as Leader of the Opposition, terming them “baseless and unethical.”
He also accused certain channels of amplifying unverified claims to damage the Congress and UDF, adding that such attempts would not impact electoral outcomes.
Reiterating that decisions on MPs contesting Assembly polls are taken solely by the national leadership, he said the controversy was artificially created.
He further dismissed reports of internal rifts involving leaders like K.C. Venugopal, calling them “laughable.”
Projecting confidence, Satheesan said the UDF would return to power with over 100 seats, riding on strong public sentiment against the incumbent government.
“No amount of misinformation can derail us. The people of Kerala want change, and UDF will deliver it,” he said.
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