THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM is wooing JDU hard to get the party on board LDF ahead of crucial Lok Sabha polls in 2019. The Marxists believe that the crossover of JDU to LDF camp, if it happens, will be a double edged weapon to weaken the Congress led UDF on the one hand and defeat the BJP’s grand plans to expand its electoral base in the state on the other. With the JDU all set to snap its ties with Mahagathbandhan in Bihar which comprises Congress, the party would be in a more comfortable position to chart out its own course in Kerala.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has already extended an open invitation to the JDU to join the LDF. “The JDU and all other parties that aligned with the UDF recently should return to LDF fold. A concrete policy on these parties will be formulated once they snapties with the UDF,” he said. The JDU’s electoral strength has reduced drastically over the past four years. During the Lok Sabha polls, the party chief MP Veerendra Kumar lost to M.B. Rajesh in Palakkad constituency. In 2016 Assembly polls the party contested seven constituencies, lost all. The party believes that the Congress had back stabbed in both these elections resulting in the miserable performance of the party.
Though two party committees had inquired into the reasons behind the defeat, the reports are yet to be made public. The party which had once representation in 600 panchayts now has presence in just 110. Similarly the party used to have presidents in 20 panchayats which has now reduced to half a dozen panchayats. CPM sources said the LDF would be in a win win situation if JDU were to join the front before the next Lok Sabha polls. It would help the LDF improve its electoral situation in Kozhikode and Wayanad district.
