Rahul Gandhi Says UDF’s Kerala Local Poll Win Signals Return to Power in 2026

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said the Congress-led United Democratic Front’s (UDF) emphatic victory in the December 2025 local body elections in Kerala was a decisive public mandate and a clear signal that the alliance was poised to return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Congratulating the people of Kerala, Gandhi said the local poll outcome reflected growing public trust in the UDF and a strong desire for accountable and people-centric governance.

He noted that the UDF’s improved performance across grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations demonstrated the strength of the alliance at the grassroots level.

Addressing the ‘Vijayotsavam 2026’ celebrations organised by the Congress in Kochi to mark the local body election success, Gandhi said Kerala required not just a change of government, but a clear plan for the future.

“Kerala does not merely need power, it needs a plan,” he said and noted that a future UDF government would focus on ending unemployment and ensuring job creation, particularly for the youth.

He expressed concern over the large number of young people leaving the State in search of employment and said no youth should be forced to migrate due to lack of opportunities in Kerala.

Emphasising the role of local self-governments, Gandhi said strengthening grassroots democracy was essential to protecting the Constitution and ensuring people’s participation in governance.

“No one can silence Kerala,” he said, while congratulating nearly 7,800 UDF candidates who won in the local body elections. Their victory, he said, was proof of the people’s confidence in the UDF’s leadership and policies.

Criticising the BJP and the RSS, Gandhi accused them of ignoring the voices of the people, promoting centralisation of power and concentrating wealth in the hands of a few. He said the Congress and the UDF, in contrast, believed in decentralisation, inclusiveness and listening to the people.

The December 2025 local body elections saw the UDF making significant gains across the State, improving its performance compared to the 2020 polls and challenging the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

The Kochi event also marked the formal launch of the UDF’s campaign for the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections.