"Wonderful victory to UDF": Congress leader Satheesan on Kerala local body poll results

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 13 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Saturday thanked the people of the state for what he termed a "wonderful victory" for the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the local body polls,
The Congress leader also criticised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for allegedly promoting communalism.
"I express my gratitude to the people of Kerala for the wonderful victory to UDF... This is the biggest victory we have ever seen... We have submitted a chargesheet against the government as well as our manifesto... This is a warning against the state government and a protest of the people against those who misgoverned Kerala. It expresses anti-incumbency and a communal agenda set by Pinarayi Vijayan... He is taking the same path as the BJP, which wants to split people... We have taken a strong secular positioning, and we are against communalism...," Satheesan told reporters.
United Democratic Front (UDF) workers were seen celebrating after their alliance made major gains in the local body polls.
Vote counting began at 8 AM across 244 counting centres in the state under tight security arrangements. Maharaja's College, one of the key counting centres in Ernakulam district, witnessed the presence of party workers and leaders as trends started favouring the UDF in several wards.
According to the latest trends released by the State Election Commission, Kerala, the UDF led by the Congress is leading on 3155 wards. The Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), is ahead on 2565 wards, while the NDA, spearheaded by the BJP, is leading on 577 wards. Others have taken the lead in 532 wards. The updated figures point to a significant advantage for the UDF compared to earlier trends, especially in several urban and semi-urban pockets.
Earlier in the day, the UDF received a boost in Kottayam when its candidate Dhanya won from the Kottayam Municipality Ward 28, adding to the momentum for the alliance. The Congress-led front has shown strength, particularly in municipal and urban areas, suggesting a favourable trend in cities and towns. (ANI)