Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, whose confident prediction of a 100-plus seat victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) came true in the 2026 Assembly election, believes the party
can replicate that success on the national stage in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Satheesan said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was “in the right direction” in reaching out to different sections of society and that the party’s approach would be crucial to its prospects in 2029. “I think Rahul Ji is on the right direction to communicate with all sectors of the people,” Satheesan said.
The Congress-led UDF swept the Kerala Assembly election earlier this year, winning 102 of the 140 seats and returning to power after a decade of LDF rule. Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats. Satheesan, who had repeatedly predicted that the UDF would cross the 100-seat mark, was subsequently chosen to lead the government.
Explaining the strategy behind the Kerala victory, Satheesan said elections could not be won merely through traditional political campaigning. “Election is an art,” he said, stressing the need to understand the concerns of different sections of society and communicate solutions to them.
He cited the problems faced by farmers in Kerala’s high-range areas, fishermen along the coast and backward communities struggling with homelessness and lack of land. “That is social engineering,” Satheesan said, arguing that genuine social engineering meant understanding people’s problems rather than simply approaching community leaders.
He also credited the UDF’s grassroots organisation, saying the coalition had built booth-level committees and strengthened its organisational machinery. Another key factor, he said, was abandoning a conventional election narrative and focusing on Kerala’s future.
Satheesan said his campaign deliberately devoted much of its time to issues concerning both young and older voters, including employment, education and the need for greater attention to senior citizens.
For 2029, he identified three major requirements for Congress: a strong organisation, direct communication with voters and an effective coalition strategy.
“Coalition is very important,” he said, holding up Kerala’s UDF as a model. “We have 10 parties in the coalition. We acted as a single party inside the Assembly and outside the Assembly.”
Calling it “Team UDF”, Satheesan said the ability of coalition partners to work together could be replicated nationally.
He also pointed to growing dissatisfaction among sections of youngsters and the wider public over economic and employment issues, as well as concerns over the education system. “The youngsters are not happy, the employment generation is not happening, the education system is outdated,” Satheesan said, adding that Congress would need to offer major changes and communicate those proposals effectively.
