Thiruvananthapuram, March 14 (IANS) With Assembly elections in Kerala drawing closer, the Congress party is witnessing intense activity as leaders and aspirants line up to secure party tickets.

Though the Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule next week, party offices in Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi are already buzzing with activity. Aspirants have stepped up lobbying efforts, making a strong push to stake their claim for seats in the upcoming elections.

As the countdown to the polls begins, the familiar pre-election drama within the Congress has once again taken centrestage — a spectacle political observers say is almost as predictable as the monsoon.

In the Kerala unit of the party, the process of candidate selection often resembles an open contest rather than a quiet, closed-door exercise. From senior leaders to relatively new faces, many have publicly expressed their ambitions, leaving party workers both amused and anxious.

Among those staking claim for tickets are former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP K. Sudhakaran, along with leaders such as Deepthi Mary Varghese, Babu Divakaran, former Speaker N. Sakthan and former Deputy Speaker Palode Ravi, besides several others waiting patiently for their turn.

The stakes are significant. The Congress currently has 22 MLAs in the 140-member Assembly, but that number is expected to change this time. Senior leader K. Babu has already announced his retirement from electoral politics, while Rahul Mamkootathil has been expelled from the party.

In the coming election, the Congress is expected to contest around 90 seats, leaving the rest to its allies in the United Democratic Front. The seat arithmetic has triggered intense lobbying, with hopefuls pressing their claims publicly — sometimes even before the party leadership has formally begun discussions.

Attention has now shifted to New Delhi, where senior leaders are reportedly working to finalise a candidate list that would create the least possible friction within the party — a task easier said than done.

However, a senior Congress leader appeared unfazed by the current buzz. “In Kerala, if things are quiet in the Congress, that is when we should worry,” he remarked with a smile. “When everyone speaks at once, it only means the party is alive. Eventually, the dust settles and we fight the election as a united team.”

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan on Saturday urged the media to wait for the official announcement of candidates.

“Please allow us to decide at least who the party’s candidates are. Our list will be ready and published soon after the elections are announced. When the media prepares its own list and puts it out, how can I comment on it? Our final list will be cleared and announced by the party high command,” Satheesan said.

For now, however, the dust — and the debate — continues to swirl within the party as the state heads towards the Assembly polls.

–IANS

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