Thiruvananthapuram, May 1 (IANS) The CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is foregrounding Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s personal popularity even as it dismisses exit poll projections that predict a UDF victory, exposing a contradiction at the heart of its post-poll messaging.
One exit poll has indicated that Vijayan remains the most preferred choice for Chief Minister, a finding the Left has been quick to amplify.
CPI-M leaders argue that this endorsement reflects public approval of governance and leadership continuity.
“There is no anti-incumbency sentiment,” CPI-M General Secretary M. A. Baby said, insisting that allegations against the Chief Minister failed to cut through with voters.
The LDF has rallied around the slogan “Not Exit, but In”, interpreting the slender margins suggested in surveys as evidence of a tightly contested race rather than an impending defeat.
Leaders contend that the absence of a strong anti-incumbency wave, coupled with Vijayan’s popularity, will ultimately translate into a renewed mandate.
However, the selective acceptance of favourable data points while discarding the overall projection has drawn attention to an inherent inconsistency.
Political observers note that if exit polls are deemed credible in establishing the Chief Minister’s popularity, their broader seat projections cannot be entirely discounted.
The Left, for its part, argues that leadership preference and voting behaviour do not always align neatly, suggesting that personal approval may yet convert into electoral gains on counting day.
Still, as it embraces one half of the exit poll narrative while rejecting the other, the LDF’s stance underscores the high-stakes uncertainty ahead of the final verdict.
Counting of votes will begin at 8 a.m on Monday, and in a matter of two hours, the clear picture will emerge on who will get the key to the State Secretariat for the next five years. Barring one exit poll, all the rest clearly point out that Vijayan will be shown the exit door, and while the door would open for the Congress-led UDF.
–IANS
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