Kerala's political landscape is abuzz as parties react to the latest Assembly exit poll predictions, with the ruling LDF downplaying anti-incumbency and the opposition UDF expressing confidence in a predicted victory.
The ruling LDF in Kerala on Thursday said that the exit polls did not show an anti-incumbency feeling among the people, while the opposition UDF welcomed the predictions, saying they were similar to the outcome expected by the Congress-led front.
A day after the exit polls predicted a UDF win in the Assembly elections held in the state on April 9, the BJP-led NDA claimed that there was a strong anti-incumbency feeling among the people, but no pro-UDF wave in the state.
Both the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the CPI(M)-headed Left Democratic Front (LDF), however, did not agree with the exit poll figures.
The LDF claimed it would return to power for a third time, while the NDA claimed it would gain more seats than what was predicted by the agencies which carried out the exit polls.
On the other hand, the Congress-led UDF welcomed the exit polls, saying that it was similar to the outcome predicted by it.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph and senior party leader K Muraleedharan said the exit poll figures were close to the numbers calculated by the party and indicated that the UDF will come to power after the Assembly poll results are declared on May 4.
"So, as far as UDF is concerned, our win is assured," Muraleedharan told reporters and added that who will be the chief minister will be decided after May 4.
"We expect the people's verdict to be in favour of the UDF," Joseph said at a press conference.
Congress-ally and key UDF constituent, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), also welcomed the exit polls, saying that it was similar to the outcome predicted by the front.
IUML supremo Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal told media that since all the agencies which carried out the exit polls predicted a UDF win, it can be believed.
"We expect UDF to get more seats than what was predicted in the exit poll," he said.
Similar to the UDF, the LDF too expressed confidence of winning in the Assembly polls and termed the exit poll figures as inconsequential.
At the same time, the Left front claimed that the exit poll did not show any anti-incumbency factor
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan, state Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas and senior party leader N N Krishnadas were of the view that the exit polls were not important.
Govindan said the LDF was not worried as the exit polls actually show that the Left front will again come to power.
He also questioned the basis for the predictions that the BJP might win between 3-14 seats and asserted that the saffron party will not win even one.
Ramakrishnan, Riyas and Krishnadas also spoke along similar lines.
Krishnadas and Riyas said that exit polls predicted that LDF will lose in 2021, but were proved wrong.
Meanwhile, BJP leader P K Krishnadas told a TV channel that according to the exit polls, there was an anti-incumbency factor in the state, but no pro-UDF wave.
He claimed that the BJP will make the most gains in the Assembly polls.