Kozhikode: The IUML and Congress started serious stocktaking over the failure of Congress leader K. Sudhakaran in Udma constituency in Kasargod where it is believed that IUML failed to activate its supporters ensuring that all UDF votes are polled.
In a veiled attack against IUML, the Congress leadership said that in IUML strongholds of Chemmanad, Muliyar and Udma, UDF was expecting a majority of over 8,500 votes where it received only 5,500 votes. “When T. Siddique contested for Parliament he got a majority of 6,900 votes from these panchayats,” said a Congress leader on condition of anonymity. In Chemmanad we expected a majority of 8,000 votes, but received only around 5,000. When Siddique contested for Parliament he bagged a majority of 6,900 votes, it was pointed out. “At Muliyar we expected a majority of 2,500 votes, but received only 1,300. In Udma we expected a majority of 1,000 votes, but received only 93,” he added.
However, when contacted Kasargod DCC president C.K. Sreedharan said “It was a collective failure of UDF. We failed to activate our machinery and the poor voter turnout in IUML citadels also resulted in the defeat,” he said.
In Kozhikode district, both IUML and Congress are at loggerheads over the defeat of IUML candidates in Tiruvambadi and Koduvally, and defeat of Congress candidate T. Siddique in Kunnamangalam. The UDF meeting after the defeat ended up in pandemonium, sources said.
Congress leadership accepts that there is a drain in Hindu votebank of the party. “I suspect, in constituencies where IUML candidates contested our Hindu votes went to BJP,” said Kozhikode DCC president KC Abdu.
