Kochi, March 14 Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, said on Saturday that there were no issues related to candidate selection within the Congress and refuted reports of differences with party leader K Sudhakaran, who has reportedly expressed a willingness to contest in the upcoming Assembly election.
Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan said that the Congress would announce its candidates within 24 hours after the election is declared or after the LDF announces its candidates.
He denied that there were any issues within the district committees regarding candidate selection and blamed the media for projecting dissent among leaders.
"How can there be issues without announcing the candidates? Allow us to announce the list," he said.
Regarding Congress MP K Sudhakaran posting an emotional message on Facebook about his connection with Kannur, Satheesan said that the post was not made by him.
"Even if he had posted it, what is the issue with it? He wrote about Kannur, which he represents as an MP," Satheesan said.
When asked whether Sudhakaran had been assured an Assembly ticket when he was removed from the KPCC president post, Satheesan said he was not aware of any such promise.
"I am not a big leader to give such assurances. Candidature is not decided by an individual. The decision is taken by the party," he said.
Satheesan said that even his own candidature would be decided by the party.
"The KPCC president has said that no one should announce self-candidacy. The party decides the candidates, and no one should go above that," he said.
Regarding MPs contesting the Assembly election, Satheesan said that the decision would be taken by the party high command.
"MPs work at the national level and in Parliament. Whether they should contest in the Assembly election has to be decided by the AICC. We have no right to take such decisions, and it is out of our jurisdiction," he said.
Responding to questions about posters appearing in support of Sudhakaran in his constituency, Satheesan alleged that they were put up by the CPI(M).
Posters supporting Sudhakaran to contest from Kannur had appeared after reports of differences between the Congress stalwart and the party leadership over the Assembly election candidature.
Sudhakaran had also held a meeting with the party leadership in Delhi on Thursday and returned to Kannur afterwards, following which he posted an emotional message on Facebook expressing his connection with the district.