Prime Minister takes a swipe at the UDF leadership as factionalism and ‘poster wars’ delay the naming of Kerala’s next Chief Minister despite a thumping majority.
BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, mocking its inability to appoint a Chief Minister in Kerala nearly a week after the 2026 Assembly election results were declared. Speaking at a public event in Bengaluru, the Prime Minister highlighted the internal power struggle within the United Democratic Front (UDF), suggesting that despite securing a clear majority, the party is paralyzed by factionalism.
The UDF secured a landslide victory on May 4, winning 102 seats in the 140-member assembly and effectively ending the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) decade-long rule. However, six days later, the state remains in political limbo as the Congress high command struggles to mediate between the three heavyweight contenders: V.D. Satheesan, K.C. Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala.
“Betrayal and Lies”: PM’s Critique
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister compared the situation in Kerala to previous power-sharing disputes in Congress-ruled states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
“In Karnataka, the leadership has been busy solving internal fights for three years instead of public grievances. Now, the same drama is unfolding in Kerala,” Modi said. “They cannot find a leader or even work out a formula. All they do is betray the mandate of the people.”
The PM also pointed to the Congress’s shifting alliances in South India, specifically its distancing from the DMK in Tamil Nadu in favor of the newly formed TVK, as evidence of the party’s “unreliable” nature.
Posters and Protests: Factionalism on the Streets
While AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have held marathon meetings with the contenders in New Delhi, a consensus remains elusive. The delay has allowed internal rivalries to spill into the public eye. Across Kerala, supporters of the three aspirants have engaged in ‘poster wars’ and demonstrations, forcing the central leadership to issue warnings against public displays of indiscipline.
Sources indicate that while a majority of the newly elected MLAs reportedly favor K.C. Venugopal, the seniority of Ramesh Chennithala and the effective opposition leadership of V.D. Satheesan have complicated the decision-making process.
Background: The May 23 Deadline
The Congress leadership maintains that they have until May 23 to officially form the government. Party observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken have been tasked with consolidating the views of the 63 Congress MLA-designates and alliance partners, including the IUML, who have expressed concerns that the leadership vacuum could dampen the momentum of their historic win.
As the state waits for a final announcement—expected within the next 48 hours—the Prime Minister’s comments have added a layer of national scrutiny to what was intended to be a celebratory moment for the UDF.
