The ball set rolling by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) with four bypoll wins since 2021, followed by a stellar showing in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, and the local body polls last December has catapulted the alliance back to the treasury benches of the State Assembly from a decade-long political wilderness.

All three major contenders for the post of Chief Minister — Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee Ramesh Chennithala, and AICC general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal — attributed the massive win to cohesive teamwork within the alliance, often described as Team UDF, the guarantees and assurances given to the people, methodical electioneering, and the ‘misgovernance and nepotism’ of the outgoing Left Democratic Front government.