Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather on Tuesday attributed the defeat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Kerala Assembly polls to what she called a "corrupt PR exercise" by outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asserting that the public recognises genuine work over optics. Speaking from Thiruvananthapuram, Mather expressed confidence that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) victory would serve as a springboard for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Mather on LDF's Defeat

Mather described the UDF's return to power as a "spectacular victory gifted by the people" and said the alliance must now focus on fulfilling its promises on development and welfare. She cited multiple factors behind the LDF's loss, with anti-incumbency and Vijayan's perceived over-reliance on image management topping the list.

"Anti-incumbency is definitely there. The corrupt PR stunt exercise by Pinarayi Vijayan as a Chief Minister, I think, has helped us gain victory," she said. She pointed to the ubiquitous hoardings featuring only Vijayan's face as a symbol of that approach. "Every 50 metres, there were huge hoardings with only the CM's face. It was a reminder for the people of Kerala that they don't want a disaster in 2026 also. People will understand if we have done real work. This reflects that only PR exercise won't help."

LDF's Reduced Strength in the Assembly

The LDF's tally of just 35 seats has left the alliance in a precarious position in the legislature. Mather noted that the reduced numbers would make it difficult for CPI-M to even field a Leader of Opposition. "Most of the Ministers from outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's cabinet have also lost," she added. The scale of the defeat, she argued, underscores how decisively voters rejected the incumbent government.

Alleged CPI-M and BJP 'Deal'

Mather reiterated the Congress's longstanding position that CPI-M and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had an "underhand" arrangement. "We were able to overcome these underhand dealings," she said. She pointed out that among the three seats won by the BJP in Kerala, two were constituencies where sitting LDF Cabinet Ministers were defeated — a detail she said further exposed the alleged understanding between the two parties. "People of Kerala have realised all that understanding is not holding any water," she said.

Criticism of BJP in Assam and West Bengal

Expanding her critique beyond Kerala, Mather accused the BJP of "mismanaging" central agencies in Assam and West Bengal. She alleged that the delimitation exercise in Assam was designed to favour the BJP. "Particularly in Assam, the delimitation exercise was done keeping in mind that only the BJP should win. That is what they wanted to do at the national level, bringing in delimitation under the garb of women's reservation," she alleged. On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, she accused the BJP of going to any extent to "gain, control and retain power", adding: "They should understand that there is something called fairness in democracy. All this is not forever."

Eye on 2029 and the Larger Opposition Picture

Mather framed the Kerala result as the beginning of a broader national shift. "With Kerala, it has begun. This will trigger the victory towards the 2029 Lok Sabha elections," she said, urging Congress leaders and workers across the country to draw motivation from the UDF's performance. She also commented on the debut victory of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu, calling it "totally unexpected" but saying the party must be accepted as the people's choice. "I am sure they will stand in the larger interest of protecting secularism and the Constitution of India," she said. On the question of the next Chief Minister, Mather confirmed that due process would be followed before the swearing-in ceremony.