UDF's Unbroken Winning Momentum in Kerala as CPI-M Faces Setback
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Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11 (NationPress) The Congress-led UDF Opposition's electoral success in Kerala shows no signs of slowing down.
In the recent 31 by-elections conducted across various local bodies in the state, results announced on Wednesday revealed that the Congress-led UDF secured victory in 17 seats, while the CPI-M-led Left obtained 11, and the BJP-led NDA triumphed in three wards.
The Congress-led UDF successfully reclaimed four seats that were previously held by the Left.
With these 17 victories, the UDF will regain authority over three panchayats located in the districts of Palakkad, Idukki, and Thrissur.
This ongoing winning trend follows the April Lok Sabha elections, where the UDF won 18 out of 20 available seats, with the BJP and CPI-M securing one each.
Last month, during three by-elections, Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi achieved a remarkable win in Wayanad, increasing her brother's winning margin from 3.60 lakh to 4.10 lakh.
Similarly, in the Palakkad Assembly by-election, the Congress candidate significantly expanded the victory margin from around 4,000 votes to over 18,000 votes.
In contrast, the margin for the CPI-M candidate in the Chelakkara Assembly constituency decreased from over 39,000 votes to less than 13,000 votes.
Although victories in Wayanad and Palakkad were anticipated, the increased margins in these areas and the reduction in the CPI-M candidate's margin at Chelakkara have sent ripples through the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government.
Despite the Left presenting a façade of confidence by claiming that the UDF merely retained their seats, internal discussions within CPI-M have indicated criticisms of Vijayan's governance style.
Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan congratulated the UDF workers, stating that this victory is a clear indication of what lies ahead in the local body elections next year.
“The public has now come to understand that the Vijayan government is a significant weight for the state and its citizens. The Opposition has long maintained that citizens will take measures to express their discontent with Vijayan’s misrule, and this is clearly reflected in the recent election results,” remarked Satheesan.
