THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Friday asked whether the LDF was ready to introspect on where its votes went in the Lok Sabha election.
Citing the 12 per cent difference in the vote share of UDF and LDF in the state, Chennithala said: “The Left front has over the years been accusing the BJP and Congress of cross-voting for the benefit of each other. Is the LDF ready to introspect on where its votes went? Its introspection should cover the vote leak not only in Kerala but also in West Bengal and Tripura. It should make clear if votes were leaked to the BJP or some other party, he said.
Chennithala credited the UDF victory to the secularist fabric of the state
“The LDF and BJP did not consider the sentiments of the devotees on the Sabarimala issue. While the LDF tried to carry out its agenda in the state through the forceful entry of women into the temple, the BJP unleashed a reign of terror in the state, although it was in a position to bring in an ordinance or seek Central intervention on the issue,” Chennithala told reporters here.
“The Congress has always taken a pro-devotee stance and was consistent right from the beginning. The people of the state have finally realised the hollowness of the rhetoric of both the LDF and BJP on the issue,” he said.
The Opposition leader said the Congress’ defeat in Alappuzha was unexpected and it would look into the aspects that went wrong there. “The election results also underscored three things in Kerala – anti-Modi wave, anti-incumbency against the state government and the Rahul effect,” he said.
“However, it was shocking why the Rahul effect was not seen in the neighbouring Karnataka, at least in bordering constituencies of Wayanad,” he said in reply to a question.
“The election results in Kerala also underscored the need for a well-knit alliance at the Centre on the lines of one in Kerala to take on Modi,” he said.