The CPI(M)-led Opposition lDF and the BJP are way ahead of the Congress-led ruling UDF in poll preparedness in Kerala as the schedule for the 16th lok Sabha election has become clear. Kerala’s 237,92,270 voters will march to the polling booths on April 10 to elect their 20 representatives to the lok Sabha.
The lDF, with a clearly defined formula for seat-sharing among the constituents, has almost finalized the list of candidates already whereas the BJP had completed the process much in advance. However, the ruling UDF in which certain allies are still arguing for their right to seats is yet to complete even Phase I of the poll preparation process.
A meeting of the State secretariat of the CPI(M) on Wednesday approved a more-or-less final list of candidates for ten of the 16 seats it will be contesting in the State. The party has decided to re-field all the four sitting MPs in the respective constituencies they represent. A decision has also been taken to field Politbureau member and former minister MA Baby MlA in the Kollam seat.
In the lDF, front leader CPI(M) has traditionally been contesting 16 seats while the remaining four seats are given to the CPI. The RSP is still arguing for a seat - Kollam - but it is not yet certain whether this demand will be honoured. A final decision in this regard is expected to be taken by the CPI(M)’s State committee meeting on Friday.
Though the Congress has already informed its allies in the UDF that it will contest 85 percent of the total seats - 17 seats - two partners have raised serious protests against this. The Socialist Janata-Democratic, a splinter group of Janata Dal (S), has staked claim for one seat and solving this problem is expected to be a tough job for the Congress leadership.
UDF partner Kerala Congress (M), which traditionally contests one seat, has demanded one more constituency while the Muslim league, which contests two seats has said that it has not decided whether to demand one more seat or not. The issue of the additional seat has already sowed discord in the KC(M), an amalgamation of three different factions.
In the context of the intense protests against the Central direction of November 13 for implementing the K Kasturirangan committee report for protection of Western Ghats, an issue which is of crucial importance to the KC(M), establishing truce with that party over its demand for the Idukki seat will be a difficult job for the Congress.
All this may mean that the process of finalization of the Congress’ own list can be delayed till March 22, the last date for filing nominations for the election, even Congress leaders admit. “If that happens, it should not surprise anyone. Congress has always been like that. But we have the capacity to spring surprises even after that,” claimed a senior Congress leader.
A complaint being heard from almost all parties is that hardly two weeks are available for campaigning after the date for withdrawal of nominations.