Kollam, March 26 -- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday urged voters in Kerala to cast their ballots for the United Democratic Front (UDF), calling a vote for the BJP a "wasted vote."

Tharoor emphasised that the real contest in Kerala is between the UDF and the LDF.

Speaking to ANI in Kollam, Tharoor said, "My focus is on the Kerala state election. My colleagues in Assam, Bengal, Tamil Nadu are all campaigning...In Kerala, people are looking for change. The BJP is not an irrelevant factor in the state...The real fight is between UDF and LDF. So a vote for BJP is a wasted vote...Vote for the UDF."

Kerala legislative assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The tenure of...