THIRUVANNATHAPURAM: The election results hint that the BJP who was not able to use the favorable weather, needs a major reorganization in order to advance in Kerala. The party's assessment is that the BJP suffered a major setback due to its candidature and lack of direction from the state leadership. The BJP will have to strive a lot to bring the party in the main track after changing the two-party system existing in Kerala for many years.

The BJP was not able to take advantage on the sentiment expressed in Sabarimala issue was not able to maintain that vote. The party was not able to utilize the favorable atmosphere seen in the national level. Meantime, they are not able to leap forward as a front in the national democratic alliance. With the results coming out, the demand for a leadership change may be voiced in the party.

When the results of the first rounds are out, the BJP was not able to reach to the front in any constituency other than Manjeswaram. When Kamarudheen of the UDF is leading in Manjeswaram, Raveesha Tantri of the NDA garnered 19000 votes. When the postal votes were counted, the BJP candidate of Ernakulam had got a lead of only three votes. K Surendran who expected to win after raising Sabarimala issue is in the third place now. The BJP who was in the second place in 2016 polls in Vattiyoorkavu, could not make any significant progress after fielding S Suresh this time. Though it was first heard that Kummanam Rajasekharan will be fielded here, S Suresh was later chosen as the candidate.

Meantime, the UDF who asserted with confidence that they will hit a six when the Pala by-polls were announced, was not able to achieve any gains and not only that they suffered a setback in its sitting seat also. When the congress was defeated in the national level during Lok Sabha polls, the win they got in Kerala was a relief for them but they are likely to lose two seats in the by-election.

The presence of Rahul Gandhi and the belief that the Congress can oust Modi, and the opposition of government’s stance in Sabarimala resulted in UDF's victory in the Lok Sabha elections, the UDF will have to take significant effort to oust the LDF from power.