Rahul's Kochi event signals early UDF push for 2026 Kerala polls

It was officially billed as ‘Maha Panchayat’, marking a felicitation of those Congress members who emerged winners in Kerala’s local body elections held in December. But in reality, the occasion turned into an unofficial kickoff of the party-led United Democratic Front’s (UDF) campaign for the 2026 Assembly elections, with top leader Rahul Gandhi striking an unmistakably optimistic and confident note about the political road ahead.

Addressing thousands of the party’s newly elected local self-government institution members and candidates who unsuccessfully contested the elections, at Marine Drive in Kochi on Monday (January 19), the Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition projected the UDF’s local body poll performance as a sign of growing public trust in the alliance and its grassroots leadership.

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Though no formal campaign launch or any candidate’s name was announced during the event, the scale of participation, the political messaging and the overall mood made it clear that the Congress had begun shaping its narrative for the polls due in a few months.

Rahul targets the Right, more than Left

During his speech, Rahul kept away from explicit attacks on the state’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that spearheads it, even as the LDF and UDF continued to trade allegations outside the venue over communal alignments and electoral strategies.orm govt: 71)

Saying Kerala stands together across religious, cultural and social differences, Rahul added that the state has repeatedly shown that pluralism and mutual respect are not abstract ideas but lived political realities. He described the local body election outcome as proof that people continued to believe in participatory democracy and accountable governance.

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“This victory belongs to those who worked on the ground,” he told the gathering, referring to panchayat members, municipal councillors and block and district representatives.

He described them as the backbone of Indian democracy and said strong local institutions were essential to protect constitutional values. He also added that in a democracy, the right to vote was absolute and could not be compromised.

Taking a sharp dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) axis, the Congress MP said his party and its ideological opponents represented two very different approaches to governance.

Attacks BJP-RSS' 'centralisation of power'

“If you look slightly deeply at the difference between the BJP, the RSS and the Congress party, you will see that they stand for centralisation of power, and we stand for decentralisation of power,” he said, linking the Congress's position directly to the strengthening of local self-government institutions.

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“All over the country, we see people who believe something but don't have the courage to say it. But great nations are not built in silence. Great nations, great people are built when they express their views and opinions, and fight for them,” Rahul, who represented Kerala’s Wayanad in the Lower House not long ago, said.

“Embedded in the culture of silence is also the idea of greed that it does not matter what is happening as long as I am getting what I need. I don’t need to say anything. I can watch people being humiliated, people being murdered, people being killed. As long as I’m okay, everything is okay. That's culture of greed,” he added.

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According to Rahul, decentralisation is not only an administrative principle but also a political and moral choice that determines whether democracy remains close to the people or moves away from them.

The event in the port city was organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee to felicitate candidates and representatives who won in the recent local government polls.

Leaders from across the state, including panchayat presidents, municipal chairpersons and ward members, attended in large numbers, turning the venue into a display of organisational strength for the Congress and the UDF.

'Aim was to recognise grassroots workers'

Senior Congress leaders said the aim was to recognise grassroots workers who helped in delivering the local body results and to reinforce the party’s commitment to democratic decentralisation. At the same time, there was little doubt within party circles that the gathering also served as a political signal ahead of the Assembly elections.

The UDF has lost two successive Assembly elections in Kerala — in 2016 and 2021 — and looks to make amends this time, particularly after the encouraging results in the local body elections.

Rahul’s optimism was evident throughout his address. He said the local body results reflected a shift in public mood and a renewed faith in the UDF’s ability to offer a credible alternative. While acknowledging that challenges remained, he urged party workers not to underestimate their collective strength, discipline and connection with ordinary citizens.

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He also underlined that Kerala’s political culture had always been shaped by debate, participation and social consciousness. According to him, the state’s tradition of questioning authority and engaging in democratic dialogue had helped it remain resilient even during periods of intense political pressure.

Without naming any party in this context, Gandhi cautioned against attempts to divide society along narrow lines and warned that democracy weakened when people were encouraged to see each other through lenses of suspicion and hostility.

“Thousands of young people are leaving this country because they cannot find jobs. People of Kerala should not be forced into a situation where going abroad becomes a necessity,” the parliamentarian said and made a forecast that the UDF would win the Kerala Assembly elections with a resounding victory.

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The UDF’s performance in the local body elections has given the Congress a significant morale boost after years of organisational challenges in Kerala. Party leaders believe the results show that voters are open to political alternatives when offered credible leadership and consistent grassroots engagement.

Local body representatives to play key role: Satheesan

The state’s Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who also addressed the gathering, said the local body representatives would play a crucial role in shaping the UDF’s future political trajectory. He stressed that development, transparency and social justice would remain central to the front’s political approach.

The programme also reflected an effort by the Congress high command to reconnect closely with Kerala’s grassroots leadership. Rahul interacted with several representatives during his visit, listened to their concerns and encouraged them to remain rooted in everyday public issues.