THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While seeking an early intervention of the Congress high command and chalking out a proper strategy, the letter purportedly written by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala says that the BJP has increased its presence in a big way and, in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, it had come second to the LDF and opened accounts in most of the grama panchayats and municipalities. For the LDF, which was losing all the elections since 2009, victory in the local polls was significant.
The letter carries an analysis which reportedly says there was no proper preparation for the election on the part of the Congress compared to the elaborate steps that were taken in the 2010 election when he was the KPCC president. ‘’Co-ordination was poor, particularly in formulating a strategy for the election. There was no attempt to persuade the rebel candidates to withdraw,’’ it was pointed out. Nowhere does the letter call anyone by name.
The letter also holds the performance of the state government as one of the major factors for the rout. “Corruption is rampant, image of the Chief Minister has been totally spoiled. Scams, charges of nepotism and authoritarianism have alienated the people from the Congress and the UDF.’’
The letter, while seeking an intervention by the central leadership and chalk out a proper strategy, concludes that the UDF base has to be made intact.