As vote counting was underway in Kerala with the UDF ahead, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday expressed confidence that his party will secure a comfortable majority to form the government. Talking to IANS, Tharoor said: "I am very enthusiastic.
The trends so far are positive and better than we expected. I believe we will see good results today and secure a comfortable majority." He added that while Kerala remains a state with diverse and strong political opinions, the early trends indicate a favourable outcome for his party.
"A clear and comfortable majority seems to be on the cards. So far, there is every reason to feel optimistic," he said. However, he noted that final clarity will emerge as counting progresses. "By around 11:30 am, the picture will be much clearer," Tharoor told IANS.
With vote counting for the Kerala elections on Monday entering a crucial phase, the decade-long rule of the Left government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan appears to be heading towards a decisive end, as trends point to a sweeping victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
At the end of the third round of counting, Vijayan himself was trailing in Dharmadam, underlining the scale of the challenge faced by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). In a parallel development, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, who briefly trailed earlier, has surged ahead, reflecting the volatile nature of early counting rounds.
In the 140-member Kerala Assembly, the outgoing House saw the LDF dominate with 98 seats, while the UDF sat in the opposition, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) failed to secure representation. Current trends, however, indicate a dramatic reversal.
The UDF is now leading in 99 seats, well beyond the halfway mark, while the LDF is ahead in just 40 constituencies, with the NDA ahead in one seat. The scale of the setback for the Left is evident from the performance of the cabinet, with 15 out of 21 ministers trailing in their respective constituencies.
The party’s traditional stronghold in Kannur has also shown signs of strain, with even strongholds witnessing tighter-than-expected contests, though the Left continues to maintain leads in some pockets. What adds to the uncertainty is the narrow margin in several constituencies where the LDF is currently ahead.
A shift in later rounds could further widen the UDF’s advantage, raising the possibility of the front crossing the 100-seat mark, a landslide outcome in Kerala’s political landscape. As counting progresses under tight security, the emerging verdict signals a potential political reset in the state, with voters seemingly opting for change after two consecutive terms of Left rule.