Shashi Tharoor confident of UDF win, calls BJP vote 'wasted' in Kerala

Congress's Shashi Tharoor expressed confidence in the UDF for the Keralam polls, calling a BJP vote 'wasted' as the real fight is between UDF and LDF. Imran Pratapgarhi echoed this, citing a 'wave of change' against the LDF government.

Tharoor Confident in UDF's Prospects

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday expressed confidence in the United Democratic Front (UDF), stating that the alliance is witnessing a favourable trend on the ground, which might have a considerable impact in the upcoming Keralam assembly polls.

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said while campaigning in Kottayam, "The campaign is going very well, and I am seeing a positive trend in favour of the UDF."

'A Vote for BJP is a Wasted Vote'

He urged voters in Keralam to cast their ballots for the United Democratic Front (UDF), calling a vote for the BJP a "wasted vote." Tharoor emphasised that the real contest in Kerala is between the UDF and the LDF.

Speaking to ANI in Kollam, Tharoor said, "My focus is on the Kerala state election. My colleagues in Assam, Bengal, and Tamil Nadu are all campaigning...In Kerala, people are looking for change. The BJP is not an irrelevant factor in the state...The real fight is between the UDF and the LDF. So a vote for BJP is a wasted vote...Vote for the UDF."

Pratapgarhi Claims 'Wave of Change'

Earlier today, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi claimed that there is a strong wave of change in Keralam, asserting that the United Democratic Front (UDF) is witnessing a favourable atmosphere ahead of upcoming political developments in the state.

Speaking to ANI, Pratapgarhi said, "The people in Keralam want change, and there is a great atmosphere for the UDF. There is a lot of anger among the people against the ten years of the Pinarayi Vijayan government." He further alleged issues such as the Sabarimala gold theft controversy and claimed an "internal nexus" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vijayan.

Targeting the BJP, the Congress leader added, "A showroom of Rahul Gandhi's 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan' is about to open up here. BJP will not be able to open its account in Keralam."

Election Background and Political History

The polling for Keralam Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

Keralam has traditionally followed an alternating pattern of governance, switching between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) every five years since 1982. This trend was broken in 2021 when the LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was re-elected for a second consecutive term.

While the LDF and the UDF are frontrunners in the polls, the BJP will attempt to make a mark after its historic win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)