UDF surge sends clear signal in Kerala: Kharge, Rahul hail mandate, target Left

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Saturday projected the Kerala local body election results as a strong endorsement of its politics, with senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge hailing the mandate while launching a sharp attack on the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Former Wayanad MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, described the outcome as “decisive and heartening,” saying it reflected growing public confidence in the UDF ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

“The verdict shows that the people of Kerala want accountable governance — a government that listens, responds and delivers,” Gandhi said, congratulating party leaders and workers across the state for their sustained grassroots efforts. He said the mandate was recognition of the UDF’s commitment to people-centric politics.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge thanked the voters of Kerala for what he termed a decisive verdict in favour of the UDF in the local body polls.

“The Indian National Congress extends its heartfelt gratitude to the people of Kerala for the strong mandate given to the UDF. We are confident that our alliance will receive a similar mandate in the Assembly elections as well,” Kharge said, adding that the Congress would campaign with “a full sense of responsibility and united purpose”.

Congress general secretary and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal struck a more combative note, calling the results a clear rejection of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF, which he accused of turning into a “corrupt, authoritarian and anti-people regime”.

Venugopal said the local body verdict was only a trailer of what lay ahead in the 2026 Assembly elections, predicting that several traditional Left strongholds would fall. He also claimed that voters had rejected the BJP’s “divisive politics,” which he said threatened Kerala’s social harmony.

The UDF’s gains were particularly significant in districts long considered LDF bastions, pointing to a strong anti-incumbency undercurrent.

Reiterating the UDF’s priorities, Rahul Gandhi said the alliance would continue to focus on the everyday concerns of citizens and work towards “transparent, people-first administration,” using its local body presence to strengthen governance at the grassroots.

Venugopal framed the verdict as both a local success and a strategic political shift, arguing that it marked the beginning of a broader realignment in Kerala politics ahead of the next year’s Assembly polls.

With the Congress leadership projecting confidence, the UDF has sought to position itself as the principal challenger to the Left government, sending a clear message that Kerala’s electorate is demanding change, accountability and responsive governance.

IANS