What led to the limited victory of LDF in Kerala?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even though the favourable wave created in 2019 by the Sabarimala issue and Rahul Gandhi's candidature was gone, many left strongholds were once again broken when the UDF stormed.

Left's victory was limited to one seat, similar to 2019. UDF lost only one seat. At the same time, the BJP opened its account to Parliament with a landsliding majority in Thrissur and shook its opponents till the last minute of counting in Thiruvananthapuram and Attingal constituencies, the concern and dismay raised in the LDF and UDF camps is not small. Both the dominant fronts fear that the BJP advance will boomerang in the next local and assembly elections.

Despite losing Thrissur and Alathur out of the 19 seats it won in 2019, the Congress and UDF are elated to have retained 17 and captured Alappuzha, the CPM's lone sitting seat. Although Alappuzha was once again sunk in the depths of collapse, LDF managed to regain Alathur, which had slipped last time. The victory of the BJP becomes more sweet as it's an answer to the heroic claims of the left and right fronts that they will not open an account in Kerala. LDF and UDF are blaming each other for BJP's victory.

Anti-incumbency

The general assessment is that the feeling against the rule of the second Pinarayi government after three years has paved the way for the downfall of the LDF. The Karuvannur and Kandala Co-operative Bank scams, pension arrears, shortage of SupplyCo subsidized goods, fuel cess amid skyrocketing inflation, salary revisions, anger of government employees and pensioners over dearth arrears have all created anti-government sentiment. Severe shortage of medicines in government hospitals including medical colleges, recurring medical malpractices, police measures to protect criminals and goons and the government protection given to the SFI activists who were the cause of Siddharth's suicide filled the minds of the people with anger.

Failed campaign

At a time when people's lives are struggling, the government's extravagance, foreign trips with the families of the chief minister and ministers and the case against the chief minister's daughter have been used as weapons by the opposition. A campaign focused on the dreaded Citizenship Amendment Act, excessive criticism of Rahul and convenor EP Jayarajan's remarks praising BJP candidates affected LDF badly.