Kerala Assembly elections 2026: Shashi Tharoor says BJP a ‘zero-seat party’

Ruling out the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday (March 25) dubbed the ruling party at the Centre as a “zero-seat party” in Kerala and said that the election would be fought primarily between the UDF and the LDF.

'BJP not an alternative'

Speaking to reporters, the Congress MP further stated that the people of the state were tired of the misgovernance by the LDF, adding that the BJP could not be the solution to the problem as the party did not have the required capacity. He also said voting out the LDF was the only solution to the problem.

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"I am very optimistic. Don't forget that the BJP is a zero-seat party in Kerala. The real contest is between UDF and LDF. We have good and experienced candidates, as well as some fresh faces. Together, we are going to bring about change,” said Tharoor.

“People are tired of 10 years of misgovernance by the LDF, and the BJP is not the answer because they don't have the capacity. The answer lies in overthrowing the LDF," he added as quoted by ANI.

Push for women’s reservation

As for the issue of women's representation in politics, Tharoor highlighted his support for the women's reservation bill and referred to the challenges faced by women in getting adequate political representation.

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"I have been a strong supporter of the women's reservation bill because in politics it has been difficult for women to get the kind of breakthrough they deserve. Even in this election, no party has given women a significant percentage of the seats. We have only 10 per cent, and the BJP has only 11-12 per cent. We need to have a reservation to give guaranteed representation," he added.

Three-front contest for 140 seats

The Election Commission of India on March 15 announced that the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be conducted in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The term of the present Assembly is set to conclude on May 23.

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The contest is expected to centre around the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been in office for nearly 10 years, and its principal challengers- the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Both opposition blocs are aiming to dislodge the incumbent government and secure a majority in the 140-member House.

LDF’s 2021 return to power

In the previous Assembly election held on April 6, 2021, with results declared on May 2, the LDF returned to power with 99 seats. The outcome was significant as it marked the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance in Kerala won a consecutive term. The UDF secured 41 seats, while the NDA failed to open its account and saw its vote share decline.

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Following the victory, Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn in again, becoming the first Chief Minister in the state to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term. In terms of vote share, the LDF polled 41.5 per cent, ahead of the UDF’s 38.4 per cent. The NDA, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), received 11.4 per cent of the votes but did not win any seats.

Among the parties, the CPI(M) emerged as the single largest with 62 seats and a vote share of 25.5 per cent. The Indian National Congress (INC) followed with 21 seats and 25.2 per cent vote share. The Communist Party of India (CPI) won 17 seats, while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key constituent of the UDF, secured 15 seats.