THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader and potential chief minister candidate V D Satheesan on Monday said the party high command will soon take a decision on who will lead the state after consulting with various coalition partners of the UDF.
Addressing the media after the UDF delivered a landslide victory in Kerala, elbowing out the CPI(M)-led LDF government, which ruled the state for two consecutive terms, Satheesan said it reflected the people's strong decleration about the triumph of secular forces.
Satheesan said he was happy to have delivered on his promise given to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi while assuming the post of the Opposition Leader that he would guide the party to win.
The Congress leader said all communities and regions voted for the UDF, including traditional left voters and some party workers, letting the front breach several CPIM bastions.
"We had told them that we are the ones upholding Nehruvian leftist view and the LDF has become the far right. The left sympathisers as well as some of their leaders accepted our perspective," he said.
Satheesan also said that the women and the youth have contributed to UDF's win and assured to work towards fulfilling the front's poll promises.
Speaking on the UDF's poll strategy that facilitated the historical win, Satheesan said, "In 2011, we came to power, but had won only 72 seats. Many social groups had veered off from the UDF, but we brought them back. We had planned several surprises, including in Ambalappuzha and Taliparamba. We had proudly welcomed G Sudhakaran to our fold."
G Sudhakaran, a veteran Communist leader, had resigned from the party and contested as an independent with UDF support in his traditional bastion, Ambalappuzha. He won by a margin of over 25,900 votes.
Satheesan also reiterated the Congress's allegation that the BJP and CPM leaders had entered into an electoral pact.
The LDF suffered a major setback as results were declared for the crucial Assembly elections on Monday. The CPIM-led front was reduced to just 35 seats, while the UDF passed the majority mark with over 90 seats.
The BJP, which has struggled to make a mark in the state politics for several years, delivered a surprising performance, winning three seats.
