People want change, UDF set to form government in Kerala: Shashi Tharoor

Thiruvananthapuram April 7 (IANS) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said that people in Kerala are seeking change and expressed confidence that a United Democratic Front (UDF) government will come to power in the state.

After successfully completing an extensive 17-day election campaign tour covering 59 Assembly constituencies across 12 districts in Kerala, Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvanthapuram, said that an assessment of the political situation indicates a clear edge for the UDF in public sentiment.

“There is a pro-UDF wave in Kerala. A strong anti-incumbency sentiment prevails across the state, and people clearly want change,” he said, adding that this conclusion is drawn from the response received from people across regions from Parassala in the south to Mattannur in the north.

According to Tharoor, a combination of factors, including strong public dissatisfaction with the government, credible and widely accepted UDF candidates, and the coalition’s forward-looking promises, has paved the way for a major people’s movement for change in Kerala.

At public meetings, road shows, youth gatherings, women’s collectives, and constituency-level interactions, Tharoor noted that people repeatedly voiced the need for a people-centric government.

Key public demands included a responsive administration, job creation, economic revival, and restoration of trust in public institutions.

He emphasised that the most powerful voice in this campaign has been that of Kerala’s youth.

Across campuses, cities, and villages, young people expressed serious concerns over a lack of job opportunities, rising violence and drug abuse affecting campus life, and the widening gap between education and employment, factors contributing to growing frustration among them, he said.

Tharoor also highlighted that the UDF’s candidate lineup has inspired public confidence, comprising leaders with grassroots connect, local acceptance, and clean public records.

This, he said, has strengthened the emotional connect between the campaign and the electorate.

He added that the UDF manifesto has gained wide acceptance across the state, with its clear commitments to employment generation, youth empowerment, campus revival, women’s advancement, welfare protection, economic growth, and transparent, accountable governance.

Covering politically significant constituencies such as Neyyattinkara, Nemom, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kochi, Thrikkakara, Angamaly, Idukki, Puthuppally, Kottayam, Kongad, Kaipamangalam, Malappuram, Nilambur, Kozhikode, Vadakara, Peravoor, and Mattannur, Tharoor said the campaign has energised grassroots workers, building what he described as a statewide UDF wave.

Kerala is gearing up for a decisive mandate in favour of the UDF, he maintained.