Kannur

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday expressed confidence that the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) would return to power with a stronger mandate in the April 9 Assembly elections, asserting that public sentiment remains in favour of the ruling front.

Speaking at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Kannur Press Club, Vijayan said feedback from his interactions during the campaign indicated continued support for the LDF despite being in power for a decade.

“What we could understand from our interactions with the people here is that Kerala’s mindset is with the LDF,” he said, adding that there was a visible rejection of the United Democratic Front (UDF).

He went on to predict that the LDF would secure more seats than it did in the 2021 elections and claimed that the BJP-led NDA would “draw a blank” in the state.

Responding to criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who alleged a CPI(M)-BJP understanding in Kerala, Vijayan dismissed the charge as “baseless” and urged Gandhi to speak with “a sense of accountability”.

He also criticised the Congress’s political strategy, referring to its stance on leaders like Arvind Kejriwal. Vijayan alleged that the Congress, in its attempt to counter rivals, had at times acted in a way that indirectly benefited the BJP.

The Chief Minister further accused the Congress in Kerala of not joining protests against the BJP-led central government, saying issues affecting the state should be treated as collective concerns rather than partisan matters.

On the sensitive Sabarimala Temple women’s entry issue, Vijayan reiterated a cautious and consultative approach, stressing the need to involve scholars and social reformers when dealing with matters of tradition and custom.

Replying to criticism from Congress leader K. C. Venugopal, Vijayan pointed to defections from the Congress to the BJP, claiming that a significant proportion of BJP MPs had originally belonged to the Congress.

Addressing allegations related to flood management raised by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Vijayan cited expert findings, stating that the floods were caused by natural factors rather than human intervention.

He also expressed disappointment over remarks made by veteran leader G. Sudhakaran, who recently left the CPI(M) and is contesting as a UDF candidate, saying such statements reflected a decline in political standards.