Congress – High Command Weighs MP Candidatures Ahead of Kerala Assembly Polls

Congress – The Congress party has signalled that a final decision on whether its sitting Members of Parliament will be fielded in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections will rest with the party’s national leadership. The indication came on Wednesday from Congress Screening Committee Chairman Madhusudan Mistry, who described the matter as part of a broader organisational policy rather than a routine electoral choice.

High Command to Decide on MPs in Assembly Race

Addressing reporters in Kerala, Mistry said the question of MPs contesting Assembly seats involves long-term considerations and will be settled by the party high command. He expressed confidence that the leadership would arrive at a balanced and timely decision, keeping both electoral prospects and organisational priorities in mind.

Mistry also hinted that the Congress is moving steadily towards finalising its candidates, with the first list expected to be released by the end of the month. However, he cautioned against reading too much into speculation at this stage.

Screening Committee Process Underway

According to Mistry, the Screening Committee will closely review a wide range of inputs before clearing names. These include organisational feedback, electoral performance, and local factors relevant to each constituency. He noted that while internal survey reports on sitting legislators are among the materials being studied, it would be premature to say whether they will play a decisive role.

“Every aspect will be examined carefully before candidates are finalised,” he said, underlining that no single criterion would determine the outcome.

Consultations With Party Leadership Across Kerala

Mistry is currently in the state to preside over a series of Screening Committee meetings and to hold discussions with Congress leaders at multiple levels. Over the next two days, he is scheduled to meet senior leaders as part of the ongoing consultation process.

These meetings follow an earlier round of interactions during his previous visit, when the high command team held extensive discussions with party functionaries across districts and organisational tiers. The aim, party sources say, is to ensure that local realities are adequately reflected in the final candidate list.

District-Level Inputs Form Key Basis

As part of preparations, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee had earlier directed District Congress Committee presidents to submit panels of probable candidates. These district-level recommendations are expected to form a crucial input for the Screening Committee’s deliberations, offering insight into ground-level sentiment and organisational strength.

Party insiders indicate that these submissions are being carefully cross-checked with feedback from senior leaders and performance assessments from previous elections.

Timing of First List Under Close Watch

There is growing interest within political circles over whether the Congress will unveil its first list of candidates on or before Friday. The timing is significant, as Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan is set to begin a statewide yatra on that day, a campaign initiative that could shape the party’s outreach in the run-up to the polls.

While no official confirmation has been given, the possibility of an early announcement has added to the anticipation around the party’s electoral strategy.

Seat-Sharing Talks With UDF Partners

Parallel to finalising its own candidates, the Congress has also begun discussions with its allies in the United Democratic Front on seat-sharing arrangements. In the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly, the Congress contested 93 seats in the 2021 elections.

At that time, the Indian Union Muslim League contested 25 seats, Kerala Congress (M) 10, the Revolutionary Socialist Party five, and the Nationalist Congress Kerala two. Smaller allies such as Kerala Congress (Jacob), the Communist Marxist Party, and the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India contested one seat each, while two Independent candidates were supported by the front.

Likely Changes in Current Allocation

For the forthcoming election, adjustments to the seat-sharing formula are being discussed. The Forward Bloc is expected to be allotted one constituency, while the candidature of P.V. Anvar, a two-time former independent legislator previously backed by the Left, has already been cleared for the Beypore seat.

With consultations intensifying and key decisions pending, the Congress leadership is looking to strike a balance between continuity and renewal as it prepares for a crucial electoral contest in Kerala.