THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior leaders of both the Congress and the BJP are upbeat on the turnout in the elections and are positive on the outcome. Congress leaders maintained there will be a clean sweep for the UDF and that the front will register impressive victories.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran while speaking to Express said, “It is a clean sweep for the UDF and the Congress. We are expecting to win all the seats. People in large numbers have turned up from early in the morning and have registered a good percentage of polling which is directly helpful to the UDF. The Rahul Gandhi wave is blowing in the state and there is a minority consolidation in favour of the Congress party.”
The statement of the Congress state president may be far fetched regarding a clean sweep and winning of all 20 seats, but there are possibilities of the UDF registering impressive wins and wresting several sitting seats of the Left front.
BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai while speaking to Express said, “The BJP will open its account in the state in this election as the feedback that I receive from across the state gives such an indication. There are even possibilities of the front getting more seats but I am keeping my fingers crossed”.
A senior leader of the Congress said, “The Left front government has taken a stringent stand in the issue of Sabarimala darshan of women in the age group of 10 to 50 and it seems to be facing the heat with women in large numbers found queuing up to exercise their franchise and this may be the main reason for a sparkling victory for the UDF and the Congress.”
With the polling crossing 76 per cent, the Congress camp feels there is a minority consolidation in favour of the party and that this will result in a huge victory for the UDF. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala while speaking to Express said, “I said several days ago this will be a clean sweep and the Congress and the UDF are winning all the 20 seats. The increase in election percentage will definitely be of advantage to the UDF and a Rahul Gandhi wave has taken place in the state.”
Ranjith Karthikeyan, a right thinker and state convenor of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, said, “The high voter turn out is a clear indication the state has voted for a change and Sabarimala issue has played a crucial role in this election with the high percentage of women voting against the anti-Hindu CPM government led by Pinarayi Vijayan.”