Thiruvananthapuram: The survey carried out by a national TV channel and CNX has predicted more seats for the Congress-led UDF in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.
While the survey has given 12 seats to the UDF, the LDF is predicted to bag five seats. If the two independents projected in the survey go to LDF their tally would go up to seven.
The survey has predicted that BJP would open its account in Lok Sabha from Kerala. Kerala Congress(M) and RSP would secure a seat each.
The BJP will make an all out effort to wrest Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency where veteran O Rajagopal came a close second in 2014 polls.
Shashi Tharoor, who won his maiden election in 2009 by 99998 votes, faced a scare with his margin reducing to 14,501. However, much will depend on the choice of candidate.
The BJP is also eyeing Kasargod seat and might field party general secretary K.Surendran. But the going in the border district will be tough especially if Congress decides to field T. Siddique who lost to CPM heavyweight P.Karunakaran by just 6,921 votes.
The survey clearly goes against the calculations of the LDF which has been claiming that it would do a repeat of 2004 Lok Sabha polls when the front bagged 18 seats and the Congress drew a blank. However, political observers say with Rahul Gandhi emerging as a major challenger to Narendra Modi at the Centre and Congress forming governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, its stock has risen in Kerala.
But the CPM leaders believe that Congress's stand on Sabarimala, which was similar to that of Sangh Parivar, is likely to alienate a big section of secular votes. Moreover, NSS's growing proximity to BJP could take away a chunk of the traditional community votes from the Congress.
The LDF leaders claim that their principled stand on Sabarimala and tThe manner in which the government dealt sternly with Sangh Parivar violence has sent out a clear message that RSS's north Indian strategy to polarise people on communal lines will not succeed in Kerala.
With the crucial polls still three months away, many believe that the political situation in the state known for its highly polarised polity, could undergo unpredictable changes.
