VIJAYAN SCRIPTS HISTORY, LDF WINS SECOND TERM IN KERALA
Though an official announcement was yet to be made, the CPI(M)-led LDF was leading in 99 seats, UDF in 41 segments
NEW DELHI: In what was an electoral lifeline for the beleaguered Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M)-led Left forces, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 97 out of 140 seats in Kerala, higher than its 2016 tally, breaking a 40-year-old tradition in the state of switching parties and alliances in power after every five years.
Vijayan is likely to be sworn in on Tuesday, party insiders said.
Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Fund (UDF) saw a major setback, winning jus 42 seats.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday dedicated the historic victory of the Left Democratic Front in the assembly polls to the people and said it proved that there was no room for communal politics in the state.
Flaying both the Congress-led UDF and BJP-NDA and a section of the “right wing” media for trying to tarnish the image of the government and its development and welfare programmes, he said the people have rejected their ‘vicious propaganda’ by giving the Left a decisive mandate.
They also believed that continuity of the Left rule was essential to retain the secular fabric of the state, he said during a press meet here.
The CPI(M) veteran distributed red-colour ‘laddus’ (sweet balls) symbolising the colour of the party flag before beginning the media conference.
Though the official announcement is yet to be made, the CPI(M) led LDF is leading in 99 seats and the Congress-headed UDF opposition, in 41 segments.
“The BJP made several claims during the time of election campaign.
Senior BJP leaders made announcements even on the formation of the government after the elections. They also indicated that they were going to garner several seats in Kerala,” Vijayan said.
He said these leaders carried out a campaign in this regard through the media too and it was at this juncture that LDF said they would ensure BJP lost its lone seat in Kerala.
“Last time also, they won not because of their strength,” he said.
Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other union ministers and chief ministers of other states had come to Kerala and spent a lot of time for BJP candidates’ victory, the CM said and alleged that the saffron party had pumped in a massive amount of money in the state during the time of the polls.
“The election results have proved that there is no room for communal politics in Kerala. The stand taken by the BJP in other states can not be replicated here,” the CPI(M) strongman said.
On the Congress-led UDF’s drubbing, he said the people rejected all the charges raised by them against the state government.
Opposition Congress leader, Ramesh Chennithala termed their failure as “unexpected” and said the party and the Front accept the people’s verdict.
“Success and failure are natural in a democracy. It is a temporary setback. The results should be analysed in detail and more can be said after that,” he said.
Claiming that the UDF had exposed the ‘corruption’ and ‘looting’ of the LDF, he said none should think that everything has been ashed away with this victory.
“It is the duty of the opposition to point out and correct the mistakes of the government. The UDF fulfilled that role effectively,” he added.
However, BJP state chiefK Surendran cited “communal polarisation” as the reason for the party’s drubbing and said there was a conscious attempt to ensure the BJP-NDA did not succeed.
“We could not win the expected seats. There was a polarisation of Muslim votes in constituencies where the NDA was pinning hopes.
There was communal polarisation in Nemom, Palakkad and Manjeswaram,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Vijayan on the latter’s poll victory.
“I would like to congratulate Shri @vijayanpinarayi and the LDF for winning the Kerala Assembly elections. We will continue working together on a wide range of subjects and to ensure India mitigates the COVID-19 global pandemic,” he posted on Twitter.