The Congress party has marked a notable triumph in Kerala amid ongoing trends in vote counting as of May 4. However, this success is overshadowed by the disappointing outcomes the INDIA bloc faced in Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry. While Congress leaders savoured their achievement, the performances of their allies in other states raised fears regarding their national appeal.

In Kerala, the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by Congress, has taken the opportunity to celebrate as projections indicate a potential landslide victory. Key figures from the party, including KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, and Shashi Tharoor, gathered at the party office in Thiruvananthapuram to recognise their gains. Joseph expressed gratitude towards the people of Kerala for their support, remarking that the outcome was a clear rejection of the Left Democratic Front’s policies.

Congress has obtained leads in over 80 seats, considerably surpassing the majority mark in the 140-seat Kerala Legislative Assembly. However, the celebrations were dampened by the overall picture of the alliance at the national level, indicating challenges ahead.

Mixed Results Across Other States Highlight Weaknesses in the Alliance

In Tamil Nadu, the newly established Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has made significant strides, emerging as a formidable contender against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The party is currently leading in 108 seats, which reflects a potential shift in local political dynamics. Meanwhile, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) is trailing in third place, projected to secure around 50 seats compared to 159 in 2021.

Congress, as part of the SPA, has managed to lead in five seats but is significantly lagging compared to past results. The situation is similarly concerning in Assam, where Congress leads in the 24 seats it won in the previous elections, but struggles to make further headway, with its coalition working towards securing 37 seats in total.

Congress’ Assam President Gaurav Gogoi, making his assembly election debut, is currently trailing in Jorhat by over 9,000 votes. The performance of the Congress party in both these states exemplifies the challenges it faces in retaining support from the electorate.

BJP’s Growing Influence and TMC’s Struggles in West Bengal

In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has contested the elections independently, is currently in second place with leads in 90 seats. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is dominating, reportedly leading in around 170 constituencies. This trend signifies a potential transformation in political engagement in a state where the BJP has traditionally struggled.

Despite not winning any seats, Congress holds a historical significance in West Bengal, having not been in power since the 1960s. Former state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s attempt to bolster support in Baharampur is currently unsuccessful, as he trails BJP’s candidate, underlining the diminishing role of Congress in this region.

In the Union Territory of Puducherry, the BJP has managed to secure a lead in a single seat, with party leader P Karthikeyan maintaining a narrow margin. This illustrates the party’s ongoing efforts to extend its influence in areas previously dominated by regional parties.

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