Kerala polls: Amid reports of rift in Congress, V.D. Satheesan says seat-sharing done without discord

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Friday (March 20, 2026) said the United Democratic Front (UDF) has completed announcing all 140 candidates at the “fastest pace in its history”, asserting that the coalition would return to power in Kerala with over 100 seats despite “the sustained campaign of fake news” targeting the Congress.

Addressing mediapersons in Thiruvananthapuram, the Congress leader claimed the seat-sharing process was completed “without a single discordant note” in a manner that reflected the spirit of ‘Team UDF’ in the truest sense. He added that all constituent parties were accommodated through consensus, with allies even making temporary compromises to ensure unity.

Responding to criticism over the time taken to release the Congress candidate list, Mr. Satheesan said the party follows “a structured and consultative process” involving multiple layers of consultation, unlike its rivals.

According to him, the Congress was ready to announce 50 candidates on the first day (of declaration of elections) itself, but the process was delayed due to Congress central election authority chairperson Madhusudan Mistry’s inability to reach New Delhi due to “health issues.” Nonetheless, the first list was subsequently finalised within 48 hours.

Besides, he stressed that discussions were part of a broader schedule of discussions for elections in multiple States, and not limited to Kerala alone.

He also lashed out at a section of the media, particularly news channels, for allegedly telecasting fabricated stories, including speculative reports about candidacies of senior leaders such as K. Sudhakaran and Adoor Prakash, even before any decision had been taken by the party’s national leadership.

Dismisses reports of internal rift

Mr. Satheesan also dismissed reports of internal rift, including alleged differences with All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal. At the same time, he acknowledged that multiple aspirants exist for many seats and that such competition is “natural, but less intense than in the past.”

He added that “occasional dissent or rebellions are not unusual in any party” and can be resolved through dialogue. Social considerations had to be taken into account while finalising candidates in certain constituencies.

“The UDF exists in the hearts of the people beyond what is shown in television news. There is a strong desire among the public to bring down this (LDF) government. The UDF will return to power. No fake narratives can defeat the Congress or the UDF,” he said.