Congress targets 100 seats in Kerala Assembly polls: KC Venugopal

The Congress has set a target of winning 100 seats in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Sunday. He was speaking at the inaugural session of Lakshya 2026, a two-day leadership camp at Sultan Bathery organised as part of preparations for the polls. Kerala has 140 assembly constituencies going to the election this year.

Venugopal said the party will complete candidate selection early, prioritising winnability. “The Kerala screening committee’s work will be expedited. Youth and women will be given opportunities, and the candidate list will be a blend of young leaders and women,” he added.

He urged KPCC and DCC office-bearers to work with full accountability and warned against public announcements of candidature before the party declares its list. “Leaders can hold discussions with the party leadership, but candidature-related talks should not be in public forums,” he said.

Venugopal alleged that the CPM and the BJP treated Congress and the UDF as a common enemy. However, he said the results of recent local body elections have given Congress workers confidence to face both parties. “People are the masters of democracy. We should humbly strengthen our political activities in the next four months,” he said, while noting that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s confidence in securing a third consecutive term has suffered a setback after the local body elections.

He also claimed there is a “secret alliance” between the CPM and BJP, evident in recent months and designed to protect the interests of certain leaders.

Venugopal criticised the Narendra Modi government’s amendments to the employment guarantee scheme and alleged that the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name undermines the concept of village self-rule.

KPCC president Sunny Joseph credited the UDF’s local body election victory to proper preparation and AICC support, and accused the LDF government of politically motivated amendments to the Panchayat Raj Act, unscientific ward delimitation, and unfair voter lists.

The leadership camp Lakshya 2026 brings together senior Congress leaders, MLAs, MPs, and affiliated organisation heads to strategise for the Assembly polls. Venugopal said the party intends to announce candidates well ahead of the election notification and immediately begin campaign activities.