Overview
- Congress and United Democratic Front leaders, speaking Tuesday after last week’s vote, said the electorate chose change and predicted a large win over the ruling Left Democratic Front.
- Three Congress figures are vying for chief minister: V. D. Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and K. C. Venugopal, with Satheesan and Chennithala calling MLAs and candidates to line up support.
- K. C. Venugopal, seen as close to Rahul Gandhi, is being promoted by supporters despite not contesting the state election, and party leaders say the All India Congress Committee will pick the CM.
- Benny Behanan urged the leadership to stop social media drives that pitch CM aspirants, saying such campaigns hurt party workers and that only the high command should decide.
- Local party units voiced bold projections, including a claim of sweeping all 13 seats in Kozhikode, but official results for all 140 constituencies will be declared on May 4 and past cycles show Kerala often swings between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF.