THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state Congress leadership and the UDF are elated over the results of the exit polls which have predicted a landslide victory for the front in the state.
However, leaders are not openly admitting the results as that would lead to questions regarding the national scenario where the Congress and the UPA are trailing behind the BJP-led NDA.
Of the 12 exit polls results which have come out, except for two, the rest have predicted the UDF and the Congress winning in around 16 seats which is indeed the result the state Congress leadership was expecting after a party internal analysis. Congress leaders have claimed the UDF will win all the 20 seats.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran, while speaking to Express, said, “I don’t subscribe to the views or rather the results of the exit polls. I am of the opinion we are sweeping the polls and I expect a wave for the Congress and the UDF which is similar to that in 1977 when we won all the 20 seats.”
Senior leaders of the Congress are of the belief the party has done extremely well owing mainly to the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi contesting from the Wayanad seat.
The party internal studies have revealed with Rahul contesting from Wayanad, there was a clear minority consolidation in favour of him and the Congress party as the minorities found that Rahul is the best bet to fight Narendra Modi and the BJP, at the Centre.
This has led to the Congress party gaining extremely well in the state at the expense of the Left front.
It may be recalled the CPM leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, were quite upset on the announcement of Rahul’s candidature from Wayanad.