THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM-led Left Democratic Front on Thursday won a landslide securing 91 of the 140 seats in the elections even as the BJP scripted history by opening its account in the state Assembly from Nemom constituency. The ruling UDF suffered big losses in its strongholds including minority pocket boroughs. Four parties; RSP, JDU, CMP (UDF), break away faction of Kerala Congress (M) were completely decimated. Vellapally Natesan's BDJS failed to open an account.
The verdict reiterated Kerala voter’s characteristic of alternating governments every five years irrespective of their omissions and commissions. Prominent LDF leaders V.S. Achuthanandan, Pinarayi Vijayan, E.P. Jayarajan, Thomas Isaac, C. Divakaran, Mathew T. Thomas, Kadanapally Ramachandran and
Thomas Chandy scored big wins. The CPM registered an emphatic victory winning 58 seats while CPI got 19 seats. Corruption cases, sleaze associated with the government contributing to the spike in corruption index, proved costly for the UDF.
IUML holds on to its strongholds
Amid the ruins, Muslim League which is the second biggest party in the ruling front, succeeded in holding on to its stronghold winning 17 seats. In a way, the verdict indicated that minorities were acting like a vote bank for the League.
One of the biggest surprises of the polls was the victory of maverick leader P.C. George. He overcame UDF and LDF combined opposition, to register a thumping in Poonjar. His image of anti corruption crusader, development works in the constituency and support from marginalised sections contributed to his victory.
Barring some constituencies, Vellapally Natesan’s BDJS which was expected to make deep inroads into the LDF OBC vote bank, failed to win even a single seat. It could only reduce the margin of victory of the LDF in some constituencies. Mr Chandy had hoped that the BDJS would cut into the traditional vote bank of LDF among Ezhavas. However, the BDJS proved costly for the UDF in a number of Assembly segments.
RSP and JDU who walked out of the LDF, drew a blank. Even though Pinarayi Vijayan had drawn flak for their ouster from the front, the results proved that the two parties were not relevant for the LDF electorally. The 70-day long hectic campaign saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues; top political leaders of various political parties campaigned hard for their candidates.
A total of 20125321 electorate had voted the polls of which 10,575,691 were women. This time 10 lakh more women voters exercised their franchise compared to their male counterparts. One of the major factors for the LDF victory was also CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury’s successful move in getting both V.S. Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan on board for campaign. The latter even left the space for the veteran crowd puller to campaign hard for the Front’s candidates.
On the other hand, Mr Chandy, despite his 24/7 style of functioning, mass contact progammes, welfare measures and development agenda and failed to win the voters. The stench of corruption took the sheen out of the government's success. Though the Chief Minister expected liquor policy, his government’s welfare measures and LDF’s violence, to see the UDF through in the Assembly polls, it happened the other way round.
Besides corruption, the brutal murder of Dalit student in Perumbavur and drinking water shortage had a cumulative effect on its prospects. The UDF hoped the liquor policy would pay dividends, but it didn't happen as in the case of arrack ban brought by Antony government in 1995. It was seen as the result of one-upmanship between Mr Chandy and Mr Sudheeran. Moreover, the controversial decisions taken by Chandy government at the fag end of its tenure had invited sharp criticism.
