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UDF secures wafer-thin majority in Kerala Thiruvanathapuram: In a photo-finish, the Congress-led UDF on Friday unseated the CPI(M)-led LDF, winning 72 seats in the 140-member assembly, the thinnest majority margin in the last four decades. Giving the UDF a run for its money in the closely fought contest, rival LDF secured 68 seats, managing to hold its ground. Even as it conceded power, the LDF led by CPI-M veteran VS Achuthanandan regained much of the ground it lost in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and civic elections last year. While the CPI(M) emerged as the single largest party with 45 seats out of 93 it contested, the Congress which heads the UDF could win only 38 of the 82 seats it fought. UDF allies like the Indian Union Muslim League and the Kerala Congress (Mani) did well in their traditional strongholds, which helped the combine to scrape through. Accepting the verdict, both Achuthanadan and CPI(M) state secretary Pinaryi Vijayan made it clear that the front would sit in the opposition without making any effort to cling to power by luring any minor component from the UDF. In a subdued reaction to the results, Congress leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala said the party would introspect reasons for the results falling short of their expectations. Chandy, who won for the ninth consecutive time from his pocket borough Puthupally with a huge margin of 33,255 votes over his CPI(M) rival, said Congress MLAs and the party high command would choose the CLP leader. The dream of the BJP to enter the state assembly was shattered once again but it finished second in three seats, including Nemom where former Union Minister O Rajagopal was in the fray. The outcome showed that in all regions, the LDF gave a tough fight to the UDF belying its hopes of a sterling performance cashing in on the "anti-incumbency" factor in the state where the rival fronts rule alternately. Back |
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