Kerala Polls 2026: UDF confident of victory, slams LDF's 'misrule'

UDF candidate PK Bashir expressed confidence in victory for the 2026 Kerala assembly election, slamming the Left government's 'mismanagement'. IUML's M Rahmathulla echoed this sentiment, trusting Manjeri voters to back the UDF.

UDF Confident of Victory, Slams LDF 'Mismanagement'

United Democratic Front (UDF) Candidate PK Bashir on Wednesday expressed confidence in victory ahead of the upcoming state assembly election and said that the Left government had done "mismanagement" in governance for the past fifteen years. Speaking to ANI here on the upcoming assembly election, he said, "Following the election announcement, party members are convening meetings, with the UDF committee scheduled for 4:30 PM. This election is being seen as a referendum on the past fifteen years of governance in the region, particularly against the perceived mismanagement by the Left government. The UDF is confident of victory."

IUML Candidate Hopeful in Manjeri Stronghold

Furthermore, speaking on the Kerala Legislative Assembly Election 2026, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate for Manjeri constituency M Rahmathulla added that he has trust that the people of Manjeri will extend their cooperation and cast their votes in favour of the UDF. "This is a very important election, which will be held on April 9th, and we are sure that the UDF will come to power. Manjeri is a stronghold constituency of the UDF and IUML, and we expect a very good victory this year. I hope to continue all the development activities carried out by my predecessors here, and I know that more development work still needs to be done. With the cooperation of all the people and organisations, with their help and advice, we will move forward with these development activities. I trust that the people of Manjeri will extend their cooperation and cast their votes in favour of the UDF," he added on Tuesday.

Election Schedule and Key Contenders

The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4. The Model Code of Conduct comes into place from today, setting in process elections to the 140-member State Assembly, which is also known as the Kerala Niyamasabha. The main electoral contest in the State is expected between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, is also in the fray for the Assembly polls.

Recap of 2021 Assembly Election Results

In the Kerala Legislative Assembly election, held in a single phase on April 6, 2021, with results being declared on May 2, 2021. The incumbent LDF retained power with 99 seats, marking the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance secured consecutive terms in the state. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA saw a decline in vote share and lost its only seat in the Assembly. Following the victory, Pinarayi Vijayan became the first Chief Minister of Kerala to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term in office. (ANI)

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