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Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor on Saturday welcomed the outcome of the Kerala local body elections, calling the results a clear mandate and a celebration of the state's democratic spirit.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor congratulated the United Democratic Front (UDF) for what he described as an impressive performance across local bodies, terming it a powerful signal ahead of the next state legislative elections. "What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections! The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through," Tharoor wrote. He said the UDF's showing reflected the impact of hard work, a strong political message and prevailing anti-incumbency, noting that the alliance had performed significantly better than in the 2020 local body polls. At the same time, Tharoor acknowledged the BJP's breakthrough in the state capital. He congratulated the party on its "historic performance" and "significant victory" in the Thiruvananthapuram city corporation, calling it a notable shift in the capital's political landscape. Tharoor added that while he had campaigned for a change from decades of LDF rule, voters chose another alternative promising governance change, underscoring the essence of democracy. His remarks came as the counting of votes continued across Kerala. Visuals from outside the Maharaja's College in Kochi showed UDF party workers raising slogans of "UDF Zindabad," waving party flags, and dancing to drumbeats, reflecting confidence within the Congress-led United Democratic Front. Vote counting began at 8 AM across 244 counting centres in the state under tight security arrangements. Maharaja's College, one of the key counting centres in Ernakulam district, witnessed the presence of party workers and leaders as trends started favouring the UDF in several wards. According to the latest trends released by the State Election Commission, Kerala, the UDF led by the Congress is leading on 3155 wards. The Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), is ahead on 2565 wards, while the NDA, spearheaded by the BJP, is leading on 577 wards. Others have taken the lead in 532 wards. The updated figures point to a significant advantage for the UDF compared to earlier trends, especially in several urban and semi-urban pockets. (ANI)
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