Historic win for Left Front in Kerala, Pinarayi's stature has increased in South politics

Historic win for Left Front in Kerala, Pinarayi's stature has increased in South politics

अर्बन मल्लू

Pre-poll surveys and exit poll results were correct.  CPI-M led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala came back to power again with more seats than what they got back in 2016. LDF won 99 seats out of total 140 in legislative assembly. Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF) came a distant second with 41 seats. In 2016 they had 47 seats. BJP drew a clean sheet this time, by losing their one and only sitting seat at Nemom in Trivandrum district. CPIM won back this seat in a photo finish competition with a margin of 3949 votes. E. Sreedharan, the celebrated merto man whom BJP projected as chief minister candidate lost in Palakkad for 3859 votes. BJP's vote share also came down from 2016. There are allegations in the air that in many constituencies considerable BJP votes went to UDF candidates for defeating Left Front candidates. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the captain who led LDF in the elections, won from Dharmadam constituency in Kannur with a margin of 50,123. K K Shailaja, the popular health minister who is leading Kerala's war against Covid 19 won with a  margin of 60963 from Mattanur constituency in Kannur. Her margin is the highest ever scored by any candidate in the history of Kerala elections. This is the first ever left front government in Kerala to get a second consecutive term at state's helm. Pinarayi and his team literally created history. 

यह भी पढ़ें : केरल में 'कल्ट' का दर्जा पा चुके पिनराई 'तानाशाह' या जननेता!

The defeat will push Congress into further crisis. It's diminishing relevance in national politics is once again marked by losing Puducherry, Assam and Kerala. In West Bengal too they couldn't make any impression. In Kerala Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were active in campaign with road shows and huge public meetings. But it failed to make any difference in UDF's plight. Congress and it's allies were trying their best to corner the Pinarayi government by tagging it to the scandalous gold smuggling case. But the welfare schemes and strong anti BJP stand by Pinarayi and Left front yielded better results. Government's performance during crisis periods like floods and covid, was particularly impressive. Universal free food kits and an increased social welfare pensions helped the government to make its position strong among lower middle class population. Pinarayi's stern political stand against CAA and Sangh Parivar poltics in general, helped left front to earn a reputation among minorities too. 

Read This : FROM TODDY TAPPER'S SON TO KERALA CHIEF MINISTER, THE STORY OF PINARAYI VIJAYAN

The Kerala results are shattering for BJP too. The national ruling party ended up losing their one and only represention in assembly and their hopes to clinch more seats did not succeed. In 9 constituencies BJP came second. The state president of party who contested from two seats and was shuttling between both in a helicopter, failed to make any impression. Despite unleashing central agencies like customs and ED for cornering left leaders and ministers in gold smuggling case and alleged corruption charges in state government projects, and an unprecedented cash flow and PR campaigns, BJP couldn't make any difference in the election results. They tried to evoke Sabarimala issue also during the campaign but without any success. But it's important to note that, in some constituencies BJP's votes leak to UDF helped in defeating the left candidates including an incumbent minister. But the national leadership will not be happy with this poor performance of BJP in Kerala. 

Pinarayi Vijayan made his position strong in his party not only at state level, also he is now being projected as a powerful leader who takes on Sangh Parivar at national level. He is now undoubtedly leader of regional powers which stand against BJP's political narration. With Tamil Nadu, Delhi and West Bengal, Kerala will be pushing it's agendas to safe guard federal rights of state governments. How central government and BJP will response to this challenge will be interesting to look upon. 

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