In a significant strategic reveal ahead of the crucial 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan has announced a major generational shift within the party's candidate selection. The United Democratic Front (UDF), buoyed by its recent performance in local body polls, is aiming to win a staggering 100 out of the 140 seats in the state legislature.
Local Body Polls as a Springboard for Assembly Ambitions
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Satheesan pointed to the December 2025 local body election results as a clear indicator of the prevailing political wind. While acknowledging that voting patterns differ, he emphasized that the outcome, particularly in district panchayats with larger wards, shows a pro-UDF trend. The UDF won seven of the fourteen district panchayats, a significant improvement from the three it secured in the 2020 polls.
"The anti-incumbency against the LDF will be much stronger in the Assembly polls, where state-level issues get prominence," Satheesan asserted. He highlighted a consistent pattern of UDF victories in bypolls over the last four-and-a-half years, with increasing margins, suggesting the trend will peak during the state elections slated for April 2026.
A New Face for Congress: Youth and Women Take Centre Stage
In a move to refresh its public image and connect with a broader electorate, the Congress plans a substantial overhaul of its candidate list. Satheesan declared that 50% of the party's tickets would be allocated to youth and women. He described this transition as a "generational shift" that would be a smooth process, citing the party's strong bench strength with capable second and third-rung leaders, unlike its main rival, the CPI(M).
This strategy marks a departure from the party's traditional tendency to field familiar faces and is seen as a direct appeal to key demographic segments. The leader clarified that the UDF would continue with its model of collective leadership and would not project a chief ministerial face before the elections, leaving that decision to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) post-results.
Attacking the LDF Record and Defining UDF's Stance
Satheesan launched a sharp critique of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, labeling Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as its "biggest minus" and the primary source of anti-incumbency. He accused the LDF of failing to deliver on its 2021 manifesto promise to increase welfare pensions from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,500 per month, only raising it to Rs 2,000 just before the local body elections were announced.
Addressing allegations that the Congress is anti-development, the LoP distinguished between opposition to specific projects and overall progress. He stated the UDF's opposition to the K-Rail project was based on environmental concerns, especially in a state prone to natural calamities. He contrasted this with the CPI(M)'s past opposition to projects like the Vizhinjam seaport, which they now champion.
On the BJP's influence, particularly after its win in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, Satheesan downplayed its statewide impact, claiming the BJP's vote share has declined. He attributed their local victory to LDF's failures and alleged an "understanding" between the BJP and CPI(M), pointing to what he called a lack of follow-up by central investigative agencies in Kerala compared to other non-BJP ruled states.
Satheesan credited the UDF's local body success to a unified team effort under "Mission 2025," a campaign launched a year prior, and a effective "chargesheet" against the government that included issues like the Sabarimala gold theft case, which set the election agenda.
