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Kerala News

The New Indian Express News

Kerala / The New Indian Express

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High command to call shots as Congress gears up for Kerala Assembly election

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sensing a chance to come back to power in Kerala, the Congress high command is set to play a more decisive role in the partys state unit in the run-up to the 2026 assembly election. Following its unprecedented, direct intervention in the recently concluded local body elections, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) is expected to exercise a strong say in key aspects of the assembly polls. Sources said the high command would play an active role in framing strict criteria for candidate selection, overseeing campaign strategies and directly monitoring the disbursal of election funds to candidates. According to them, the approach is aimed at addressing long-standing organisational weakness and internal factionalism in the state Congress. This was the first time in the history of Congress that the AICC scrutinised a local body election in any state, AICC organisational general secretary K C Venugopal told TNIE. Usually, it is the assembly and parliament elections that receive our attention. We have never paid such close attention to an election before. We will continue with this format, he said. Aware of the LDFs organisational advantage and the internal rift within the state Congress, the high command had charted a work plan as early as 2024. During LSG polls, the involvement of AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunsi, and Venugopal ranged from coordinating voter enrolment drives to intervening in local disputes and resolving organisational issues across districts. AICC had arranged funds for all candidates in local body elections This election, the state leadership and grassroots party members worked together, said Deepa Dasmunsi. The central leaderships hands-on approach is seen within the party as a template for the assembly election. The high command has conveyed a clear message to state leaders that candidate selection will be strictly on merit, leaving little room for groupism or seniority-based claims. At a meeting held in New Delhi soon after the current KPCC leadership assumed office, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had reportedly told leaders bluntly that the Congress would not project a chief ministerial candidate ahead of the assembly election. The decision, he said, would be taken by the high command after the polls. This was later clarified by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who said the legislative party would elect its leader. Party sources said the local body election preparations were a dress rehearsal for the assembly election. They pointed out that Venugopals suggestion at the 2024 Wayanad Chinthan Shivir that candidates be selected solely by the ward committees concerned proved to be a game changer. He also encouraged leaders such as K S Sabarinadhan and several former MLAs, to contest the local body election to signal the partys seriousness. While the KPCC president and leader of opposition led the campaign, Venugopal held grassroots-level meetings in all districts, said sources. A senior leader described Deepa Dasmunsi as a resident AICC general secretary, noting she remained in the state for extended periods and travelled extensively. Thus, this election turned out to be a victory of Team KPCC and Team UDF, said KPCC working president A P Anil Kumar. According to sources, this was also the first time the AICC arranged funds for all candidates in a three-tier system election. Candidates in the district panchayats received Rs 1 lakh each, those in corporations Rs 60,000, in municipalities Rs 10,000 and in block panchayats Rs 25,000. In corporation wards, where candidates were considered highly winnable, additional funds were provided by the AICC, they said.

17 Dec 2025 7:56 am