AFTER a gap of five years, LDF scored a huge victory in Kerala. It is a verdict against the UDF government’s anti-people policies, corruption and appeasement of communalism. People’s ire was against the Congress in the election. The verdict clearly shows that the LDF has got support from all sections of the people. Secular minded people from the majority and minority communities stood behind the LDF this time. Women whole heartedly lent their support for the LDF in the light of Jisha’s murder.

Congress, the leader of the UDF lost badly in the elctions. The major constituents of the UDF like the Indian Union Muslim League and Kerala Congress-M have retained their status but lost a few seats. But the Congress has lost heavily and got only 22 seats.

Another important feature of the election is that the smaller constituents of the UDF – RSP, CMP-John, JD(U) have failed to get any seats in the assembly. RSP, JD(U) had ministers in the Ooommen Chandy government. Both ministers lost badly. RSP leader K A Aziz was defeated in his traditional constituency Iravipuram.

NDA has opened its account in the assembly with the help of the Congress. Former central minister O Rajagopal won from Nemom seat in Thiruvanathapuram district. In this constituency the UDF vote share has come down to half compared to the last election. During the time of last Lok Sabha elections, UDF got 32,000 votes in this constituency. Now they got only 13,860 votes.  Another big loser is the main constituent of the NDA, the BDJS. They failed to get any seat even in Kollam and Alappuzha districts. Corruption and soft Hindutva policy of the Congress caused their defeat said CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. He also added that CPI(M)’s strong and unflinching stand against the RSS has been appreciated by people at large. Party Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan opined that the LDF’s development agenda was endorsed by the voters.