Kerala results set tone for INDIA bloc in TN: Selvaperunthagai

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Sunday said the Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) sweeping victory in the recently concluded Kerala local body elections has set the tone for upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and boosted confidence for the INDIA alliance ahead of the 2026 polls.

In a statement, Selvaperunthagai noted that the UDF secured an overwhelming mandate by winning four municipal corporations, 54 municipalities, seven district panchayats, 77 block panchayats, and 498 village panchayats. He described the results as an apparent setback to the ruling alliance in Kerala and a political precursor to the Assembly elections scheduled in three months.

Drawing parallels with Tamil Nadu, the TNCC chief said the Kerala verdict reinforces the likelihood of the INDIA alliance returning to power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He recalled that in the 2021 Assembly polls, the DMK-led secular alliance, including the Congress, secured 2.09 crore votes with a 45.3 per cent vote share to form the government.

Selvaperunthagai highlighted that Tamil Nadu's welfare schemes currently benefit 1.86 crore people every month and said Chief Minister MK Stalin has set a target of securing 2.5 crore votes in the next elections. He also cited Reserve Bank of India data showing Tamil Nadu's leading contribution of 16 per cent to the national GDP, with a Gross State Domestic Product of rupees 31.19 lakh crore and a per capita income of rupees 3.61 lakh.

Pointing to opposition disunity, he said no party other than the BJP has joined the AIADMK-led alliance so far, while the PMK and AIADMK are facing internal divisions. In this backdrop, he expressed firm confidence that the INDIA alliance would secure a decisive victory in Tamil Nadu in 2026.