The Congress on Monday described the decisive mandate for the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Kerala Assembly elections as a clear rejection of the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.Addressing a press conference, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against the “10 years of misrule”, marked by arrogance, corruption and nepotism.Venugopal claimed that Vijayan’s win from Dharmadam was “only technical”, alleging that the Chief Minister trailed the UDF candidate in early rounds and failed to secure a majority in his own village. “He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” he said.Targeting the ruling front, Venugopal alleged that the CPM-led LDF had resorted to communal and opportunistic politics and entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in an attempt to retain power for a third consecutive term. He said such moves “alienated even sections of its own cadre”.Referring to specific constituencies, he said the UDF had expected rebel CPM leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to dent its prospects, but their victories came as a surprise.Calling the result a “historic victory”, Venugopal attributed it to coordinated teamwork, strong grassroots mobilisation and disciplined campaigning, noting that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of internal rebellion in recent elections. He said the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.He also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees as a “trump card” that helped shift focus to core issues and counter what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.In a message to voters, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. Keralam has the talent, the potential, and now a UDF government with a vision to harness both.”