The third and final phase of polling to local bodies concluded in Kerala on Monday with more than 75 per cent of the electorate casting their votes till 5 pm. Both the fronts (LDF and the UDF) claim they would sweep the polls while the BJP said Kerala’s wait for the Third Alternative would become a reality with this edition of the local body polls.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who cast his vote at his village in Pinarayi, Kannur district, told reporters that the CPI(M)-led LDF would sweep the polls. “The electorate is thoroughly impressed with the excellent work done by the government during the last four and half years. Kerala has never seen such a dedicated and selfless service rendered by any government in the past and hence they would vote en mass for us,” said Vijayan.
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who had to step down as party’s state secretary recently following the arrest of his son Bineesh by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with drug trafficking and hawala transactions, said there was a Marxist wave in Kerala. “There is no doubt about the victory of the LDF. We are on the way to sweeping the polls. The Congress-led UDF would disintegrate immediately after the local body election,” he said.
But K Sudhakaran, MP, who is the veteran Congress leader from the Malabar region scoffed at the comments made by Vijayan and Balakrishnan. “I couldn’t control my laughter after listening to the duo. Do you think Swapna Suresh, Sarith, Sandeep Nair and M Sivsankar, the jailed associates of the chief minister, in connection with gold smuggling and hawala transactions would bring votes to the CPI(M)? No sensible persons would vote for the CPI(M) or the LDF.
You wait and watch what is happening to the LDF and the CPI(M),” Sudhakaran, a likely chief ministerial candidate of the Grand Old Party told The Pioneer.