Kannur (Kerala) | As campaigning drew to a close ahead of the April 9 polls in Kerala, CPI(M) veteran and state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan struck a confident tone here on Tuesday, saying his party-led front continues to enjoy public support despite a decade in power.

Drawing from his recent interactions with the public, Vijayan, who led the CPI(M)-led LDF's poll campaign, claimed that the overall mood remained favourable to the Left Democratic Front.

"What we could understand from our interactions with the people here is that Kerala's mindset is with the LDF," Vijayan said at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Kannur press club.

"There was a rejection of the UDF at various levels," the chief minister said.

He went a step further, expressing confidence about the outcome.

Vijayan said the LDF would return to power with an even stronger mandate, winning more seats than it did in the 2021 elections.

He also claimed that the BJP-led NDA would "draw a blank" in the state.

While acknowledging criticism, he stressed that it had not turned into a broader backlash.

Vijayan also responded strongly to remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had alleged a CPI(M)-BJP understanding in Kerala.

Dismissing the charge, Vijayan said, "He has raised certain baseless allegations during this visit," and added that Gandhi should speak "with a sense of accountability".

Questioning the Congress's political approach, Vijayan referred to its stance towards leaders like Arvind Kejriwal.

"In their eagerness to defeat their rival.... Rahul Gandhi and the Congress acted in a way that ultimately ended up helping the BJP," he said, in a reference to his allegation that the Congress didn't stand with former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal when the CBI arrested him on a corruption charge.

He asked, "Wasn't that effective support for the BJP?" He also criticised the Congress in Kerala for not joining protests against the BJP-led central government.

"When we organised protests... we invited Congress and UDF leaders...but they refused," he said, adding that such issues were "not an issue for the LDF alone -- it is a common issue for Kerala." On the Sabarimala women's entry matter, Vijayan reiterated a cautious and consultative stand.

"When such matters arise --especially when they involve customs and traditions -- there are certain conditions to be considered," he said, adding that discussions should involve "scholars" and "social reformers" rather than unilateral decisions.

Responding to criticism from Congress leader K C Venugopal, Vijayan turned the focus back on the Congress, pointing to defections.

"Around 30 per cent of (BJP MPs) are people who came from the Congress," he claimed, suggesting this reflected the party's own contradictions.

On allegations by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan regarding flood management, Vijayan said expert findings were clear. "It was not caused by human intervention, but was entirely due to natural factors," he said.

He also expressed disappointment over remarks by veteran leader G Sudhakaran, who quit the CPI(M) recently and is contesting from his home turf, Ambalappuzha as a UDF candidate, against a woman CPI(M) leader, saying such statements were "not something a responsible political leader should say" and reflected a decline in standards after joining hands with the Congress.