KALPETTA: The two-day KPCC leadership summit in Wayanad has signalled a clear course correction within the Congress in Kerala with the party formally shifting from internal assessment to an early, structured political offensive aimed at returning the UDF to power with a 100-plus seat victory in the 2026 assembly elections.
Held at Sultan Bathery under the banner ‘Lakshya’, the summit was marked by an unusual emphasis on discipline, unity and early preparation — an acknowledgment by the leadership that organisational drift and public dissent had cost the party dearly in the 2021 assembly election.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, MP, set the tone on the opening day by warning leaders against premature candidature announcements and public posturing. “Both the CPM and the BJP are unsettled by the UDF’s performance in the local body elections. Their strategy is to break Congress unity. Leaders must therefore be extremely careful while interacting with the media,” Venugopal said, underlining the leadership’s intent to impose message control ahead of a high-stakes election.
Venugopal also reiterated the UDF’s central political goal. “Our target is clear — more than 100 seats in the assembly elections. That is achievable only if the Congress functions as one team,” he said. He confirmed that the party would continue its policy of generational transition, noting that in 2021 nearly 50 per cent of Congress candidates were below 50 years of age, with a similar emphasis planned on youth and women in 2026.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who presented the ‘Mission 2026’ document on the concluding day, framed the Congress’ campaign as a shift from oppositional rhetoric to governance-centric politics. “Our aim is not merely to criticise the LDF but to provide solutions where the government has failed — especially in the economy, health and agriculture sectors,” Satheesan said.
Referring to Kerala’s worsening fiscal situation, Satheesan said the state was facing its “worst-ever debt crisis” and accused the LDF of pushing the economy into chaos. At the same time, he sought to temper expectations of quick fixes.
“We do not have Moses’ rod or Aladdin’s magic lamp. But with disciplined financial management, Kerala can be brought back on track,” he said, signalling a cautious, credibility-driven economic pitch.
Satheesan also used the platform to counter speculation over leadership rivalry within the Congress. “The CPM is deliberately spreading stories about disputes over the Chief Minister’s post. The Congress has a galaxy of leaders, and the national leadership will take decisions through the proper process. We will move forward as one family,” he said, adding that the UDF would form the next government with more than 100 seats.
Another significant political signal from the summit was Satheesan’s claim that the UDF’s political footprint is expanding beyond its traditional base. “Leaders and groups that were with the LDF and even sections of the NDA are now willing to support us. They want the defeat of the LDF even more strongly than we do,” he said, hinting at a broader anti-LDF consolidation in the run-up to 2026.
Organisational restructuring formed the operational core of the summit’s outcomes. Venugopal also informed the leaders that a detailed action plan had been finalised. “Clear campaigns, publicity programmes and sustained protests will be launched in the coming days. The screening committee chaired by Madhusudan Mistry marks the first phase of candidate selection,” he said, adding that committee members would soon visit Kerala to begin consultations.