Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan on Friday lashed out at sections of the media for allegedly spreading false information about the Congress party's candidate selection process, asserting that there was no delay in announcing the list.

Addressing the media, Satheesan said certain channels had attempted to project internal rifts within the party, even though the candidate list was finalised collectively by the United Democratic Front (UDF). "One channel alone aired 40 fake news about the Congress in the last 48 hours. They tried to create an impression that there were serious issues within the party," he said.

Responding to reports that senior Congress leader and MP K Sudhakaran had demanded the Kannur seat, Satheesan dismissed the claims. He clarified that the state leadership has not taken any decision regarding whether MPs should contest the elections. "It is the national leadership that decides whether MPs should be fielded," he added.

He also rejected speculation about differences between Sudhakaran and the party leadership. "Sudhakaran himself said the party is bigger than any individual. Then why is the media trying to insult him?" Satheesan asked.

On the decision to drop incumbent MLA Eldose P Kunnapillil from Perumbavoor, Satheesan said the party weighed multiple factors before arriving at the decision. "We assessed the prospects of victory in Perumbavoor and also considered various social factors," he said. Kunnapillil has been facing allegations in a sexual assault case, and there were reports of pressure from the Syro-Malabar Church regarding his candidature.

However, Satheesan maintained that both Kunnapillil and the new candidate, Manoj Moothedan, had strong chances of winning, but the party opted for a change.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash said the delay in announcing candidates was natural for a national party like the Congress. He expressed confidence that the UDF would win more than 100 seats and that the ruling LDF would be voted out of power.

Prakash also revealed that he had wished to contest from Konni but stepped back following directions from the party's national leadership. "After interacting with the people of Konni, I informed the party of my desire to contest from the constituency. But the AICC decided that MPs should not be fielded, and we accept that decision," he said.