Counting of votes in the three-phase election to the local bodies in Kerala would take place on Wednesday as the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-headed UDF exude confidence. The BJP-led NDA too claims that it would make strides in this election though it may not sweep the polls as claimed by the CPI(M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Why this election is important in the State is that it is a precursor to the Legislative Assembly election to be held in the months of April-May 2021. “Usually the results of the assembly election would be a repeat of the Local body election and this is the reason behind the confidence of the Congress,” said K Sudhakaran, MP and veteran Congress leader.
The Congress-led UDF had swept the Lok Sabha election held in 2019 May and most of the seasoned political commentators do not see much difference in the assembly election to follow shortly. “There is a strong anti-incumbency feeling against the Government led by Pinarayi Vijayan and at no point of time in the history of the State we have seen such resentment towards a ruling party. I am not at all surprised because the CPI(M) had gone berserk immediately after the 2016 election which they won with big majority,” said K Surendran, president of BJP’s Kerala unit.
Even after they were routed in the Lok Sabha election (having lost 19 out of the 20 seats), the CPI-M did not mend its ways, said Oommen Chandi, former chief minister. “They should have worked to regain the trust of the people but what happened was that the electorate got further away from them,” said Chandi who had to face a number of cases filed by the CPI(M) and which turned out to be fakes.
The Congress is confident because as of today, there are no other forces in the State to challenge them. “The situation is voters in the State do not have an alternate other than the LDF or the UDF. If the BJP succeeds in making some dent in some districts, then there is the possibility of a Third Force emerging in the State and that is the need of the hour,” said septuagenarian P Rajan, former senior editor, Mathrubhumi, a Malayalam daily.
The CPI(M) candidates for the local body election have deliberately avoided their party symbol (hammer and sickle) and this has surprised many followers of the party. “It is due to fear of losing that they have decided not to contest under party symbol. In some of the municipalities like Aluwa, the entire CPI(M) candidates have opted for symbols like umbrella and pots,” said Jayashanker, political commentator.
The local media has reported that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is likely to quit if the results of the local body polls are not favorable. But there is a unanimity among all political parties in the State that no other governments which had ruled Kerala in the past had faced the number of allegations charges which Pinarayi Vijayan government is facing.