THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With a stunning victory in the Nilambur by-election—its fifth consecutive by-election win during the second Pinarayi Vijayan government’s tenure—the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is riding a wave of high confidence. This string of victories marks a dramatic turnaround for the opposition coalition, which was suffering from humiliating defeats in by-elections just a few years ago.
The transformation begs the question: How did the UDF, under the ‘captaincy’ of Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, evolve from a disjointed group into a formidable election-winning machine?
A ‘Dark Chapter’ of Defeats
The memory of 2019 is still fresh for the UDF. Despite a historic victory in the Lok Sabha elections that year (winning 19 out of 20 seats), the coalition stumbled badly in the subsequent assembly by-elections. The UDF lost its sitting seats of Vattiyoorkavu and Konni to the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and suffered a shocking defeat in Pala, a seat it had held for decades. A narrow win for Shanimol Usman in Aroor was the only silver lining. The period was marked by a visible lack of strategy, poor planning, and internal squabbles among leaders.
The Turnaround: A New ‘Captain’ at the Helm
The winds of change began to blow in 2021 when V.D. Satheesan took charge as the Leader of the Opposition. Learning from past failures, Satheesan and his team implemented a new style of election management that challenged the LDF’s famed organizational machinery.
The new winning formula focused on:
- Meticulous Planning: A precise, micro-managed plan from candidate selection right up to the day of vote counting.
- Grassroots Mobilization: A shift towards direct public outreach through extensive squad work and family-centric meetings.
- Setting the Agenda: Skillfully leveraging anti-incumbency sentiment against the government while proactively setting the political agenda to put the LDF on the defensive.
This new strategy first tasted success in the Thrikkakara by-election and has since created a winning streak through Puthuppally, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and now, Nilambur.
Satheesan’s leadership style, encapsulated by his mantra, “Success belongs to everyone, but I alone am responsible for failure,” has instilled immense confidence among the party’s rank and file.
Riding on this momentum, Satheesan has now confidently declared the UDF’s next target: winning 100 seats in the 2026 Assembly elections. For the UDF, the victory in Nilambur is not just another legislative seat; it’s the fuel powering their mission to reclaim Kerala.
