‘People tired of 10 yrs misgovernance’: Tharoor targets LDF, expresses confidence in Congress win

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday expressed confidence ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections 2026, asserting that the electoral battle in the state remains primarily between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).

“I am very optimistic. Don't forget that the BJP is a zero-seat party in Kerala. The real contest is between UDF and LDF. We have good and experienced candidates, as well as some fresh faces. Together, we are going to bring about change. People are tired of 10 years of misgovernance by the LDF, and the BJP is not the answer because they don't have the capacity. The answer lies in overthrowing the LDF,” Tharoor said, adding that the Congress-led alliance has fielded a mix of experienced leaders and fresh candidates.

He criticised the incumbent LDF government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging that people are “tired of 10 years of misgovernance”. Tharoor also stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lacks organisational strength in the state, positioning the UDF as the only viable alternative.

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Women’s representation remains a key concern

Addressing the issue of women’s political representation in India, Tharoor reiterated his support for the women’s reservation bill, noting that political parties continue to allocate a limited number of seats to women candidates.

“In this election, no party has given women a significant percentage of the seats. We have only 10 per cent, and the BJP has only 11-12 per cent. We need to have a reservation to give guaranteed representation,” he said.

Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Key dates and stakes

The Election Commission of India has scheduled the Kerala Legislative Assembly elections 2026 in a single phase on April 9, with counting set for May 4. The term of the current Assembly will conclude on May 23.

Both the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led UDF are aiming to unseat the CPM-led LDF government, which has been in power for nearly a decade in the 140-member Assembly.

Also Read| KC Venugopal predicts 100 seats for UDF; rules out Kerala CM ambition

Kerala Election 2021 Results: LDF’s historic win

In the previous Kerala Assembly elections 2021, held on April 6 with results declared on May 2, the LDF secured a decisive victory with 99 seats, marking the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance retained power for a consecutive term in the state.

The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA failed to secure any seats despite an 11.4 per cent vote share.

Among individual parties, the CPM emerged as the largest with 62 seats, followed by the INC with 21 seats. The CPI won 17 seats, while the IUML, a key UDF ally, secured 15 seats.

In terms of vote share, the LDF polled 41.5 per cent, ahead of the UDF’s 38.4 per cent, underlining the competitive nature of Kerala’s political landscape.

Kerala political outlook 2026

With the Kerala Assembly polls 2026 approaching, the contest between UDF and LDF is expected to intensify, with key issues including governance, development, and representation shaping voter sentiment across the state.

ANI