Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress party’s internal deliberations over candidate selection reached a fever pitch as former KPCC President K. Sudhakaran prepared to fly to Delhi for high-stakes talks with the party’s central leadership.

The summons come amid a period of visible friction within the state unit. Sudhakaran, who had previously snubbed an invitation to meet Rahul Gandhi, reportedly dug his heels in, demanding "concrete assurances" from the High Command before committing to the journey. Sources suggest the veteran leader has now relented following personal interventions from the party’s upper echelon.

While Sudhakaran remained tight-lipped during a public appearance on Sunday—stating simply that the party "will decide" on his candidacy—insiders suggest a deal may be on the table. It is understood that the leadership is considering fielding a candidate of Sudhakaran’s interest choosing to bridge the current divide.

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The end of factionalism?

In a stern briefing to the press, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan signalled a departure from the party’s traditional "group politics."

"The era of carving up seats based on internal factions has set," Satheesan declared. "Winnability is now our sole metric."

Satheesan also took a swipe at the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), accusing the government of "pillaging the public purse" to fund its own electoral propaganda. He confirmed that the party's full roster of candidates is expected to be made public within the next 24 hours.

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A race against the clock

The logistical pressure of the upcoming polls was highlighted by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal. With Holy Week falling in early April, the campaign window has been squeezed to a mere fortnight.

"We have roughly 14 days to take our message to the people," Venugopal noted, framing the upcoming vote as a definitive referendum on what he described as the "misrule" of the incumbent Left administration. "In 26 days’ time, the ballot box will deliver the final verdict."

As the deadline for nominations looms, all eyes remain on the Delhi meetings. For Congress, the challenge is two fold: maintaining a united front while convincing the electorate that the ghost of factionalism has truly been laid to rest.