Kerala Congress leader predicts CPM win in local body poll in leaked audio, resigns

Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee (DCC) President Palode Ravi resigned from his post following the leak of a controversial audio clip in which he made critical remarks about the Congress party's prospects in Kerala.

In the audio, Ravi is heard telling a party worker that the CPI(M)-led LDF government is likely to return to power in the state for a third consecutive term. He also predicted a major setback for the Congress in the upcoming local body elections and said the party would finish third in nearly 60 assembly constituencies as “BJP will buy votes like in Lok Sabha elections.”

“With that, this party will be in a terrible condition. Muslim community will go to communist party and other parties. Congress supporters will go to BJP and other parties,” Ravi added in the call.

He was speaking to A Jaleel, the Vamanapuram Block General Secretary of the Congress in Thiruvananthapuram. Following the leak, the Congress leadership expelled Jaleel from the party’s primary membership, citing prima facie evidence of anti-organizational activities.

In the wake of Ravi’s resignation, senior Congress leader and former Speaker N Sakthan has been given temporary charge as the president of the Thiruvananthapuram DCC.

The local body elections in Kerala are tentatively scheduled for December this year, while the assembly elections are expected in April-May 2026.

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