Thiruvananthapuram, May 4 : Framing the election outcome as a decisive shift in public sentiment, Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal on Monday said the results validate the oppositionâ??s reading of a pro-change undercurrent across Kerala.

The Congress-led UDF is leading in 102 seats, the Left Democratic Front in 36, and the BJP has picked up two, including Nemom.

"Throughout the campaign, we maintained that a wave was building. Even when exit polls suggested otherwise, we were confident of a strong tally, expecting to cross the 100-seat mark," Venugopal said, adding that the assessment was rooted in consistent ground feedback.

"We could sense the pulse of the voters, and todayâ??s verdict reflects that sentiment," he noted.

Targeting the ruling dispensation led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Venugopal argued that the governmentâ??s aggressive publicity push following the December local body poll setback failed to alter voter perception.

"After that debacle, there was a massive publicity campaign backed by significant spending. But people were not convinced," he said, calling the outcome "a blow to the arrogance of the CPI-M leadership and its rank and file".

He pointed to developments in traditional Left strongholds in Kannur as evidence of a broader churn.

"Look at Payyanur, a constituency that has consistently elected CPI-M's most prominent leaders, and Taliparamba, long considered a party citadel. The trends emerging from these areas clearly indicate that even core bastions are witnessing a shift," Venugopal observed.

Commenting on the Chief Ministerâ??s own contest, he described the victory as â??technical,â?? noting that Vijayan had trailed during the initial rounds of counting before recovering later.

â??The early rounds reflected the mood on the ground,â?? he said.

Venugopal maintained that the verdict signals a wider recalibration in Keralaâ??s political landscape, with voters demanding accountability and responsive governance.

â??This is not just an electoral result; it is a message,â?? he said, underscoring that they would seek to build on the momentum in the coming months.

/IANS