Kerala elections | Rahul Gandhi bats for UDF, says state ready for change
The former Kerala MP labels the state as 'home' as the Congress-led alliance targets a return to power after a decade-long LDF rule
With Assembly elections in Kerala less than three weeks away, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the people of the state are ready for a change.
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In a pinned post on X on Friday (March 20), he said, “Team UDF is Team Keralam,” underscoring the United Democratic Front alliance led by the Grand-Old Party, which seeks to return to power after a decade.
'A collective of experience and youth'
“Each candidate reflects the voice, the aspirations and the trust of the people of Keralam. This is a collective of experienced leaders and young change-makers - a strong team of men and women who understand the intricacies of the constituencies they represent,” the Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition said in his post.
Team UDF is Team Keralam.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 20, 2026
Each candidate reflects the voice, the aspirations and the trust of the people of Keralam. This is a collective of experienced leaders and young change-makers - a strong team of men and women who understand the intricacies of the constituencies they… pic.twitter.com/P8WeZAkHaT
“For me, Keralam is home and the people of Keralam are family. I owe a great debt to the people for everything they have taught me and for the love and warmth they have embraced me with - I will always be your partner,” Rahul, who also represented the southern state in Parliament in the recent past, added.
“The message from Keralam is clear - the people are ready for change, they seek a government that listens, understands, and delivers with honesty.
“Along with the coming UDF government, I will do everything to help build a better future for this beautiful state,” Rahul said, adding, “Keralam will win. UDF will lead.”
Congress unveils 92 names for elections
The Congress has released a list of 92 election candidates in two days, the second of which came on Thursday (March 19), three days after the first (March 16).
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The UDF lost two successive elections in 2016 and 2021, which is unlike the pattern in Kerala, where generally the power alternates between the two local alliances, UDF and LDF (Left Democratic Front). The LDF, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), won the last two battles, which have left the Congress-led bloc desperate to reverse the trend.
The Congress has banked on its state leadership to see it through in this election, deciding against fielding any of its MPs. The party braved internal pressures by banking on its Kerala leadership rather than sending parliamentarians to fight the polls.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance is another force in the fray, planning to challenge both the LDF and UDF.
One hundred and forty seats in the Kerala Assembly go to polls on April 9, and the results will be announced on May 4.
(With agency inputs)