THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the UDF having retained its seats in the by-elections, apprehension is growing among constituents about the front’s ability to effect a smooth comeback in the 2026 assembly elections. The concerns have led to demands from certain UDF partners to expand the front by bringing various political parties and community groups into its fold.
C P John, the UDF secretary, has demanded that the front leadership consider inducting parties like BDJS, which is now with the BJP-led NDA, and Welfare Party, an offshoot of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
“UDF must cooperate with the Welfare Party by incorporating them into the front. UDF should also consider other options like bringing in BDJS,” John, who is also the CMP general secretary, told TNIE.
He has communicated his opinion to the Congress, the leading party in the UDF.
In a tight triangular contest, the BJP polling more than 30,000 votes increases LDF’s chances in the elections, John said. “In the Chelakkara bypoll, BJP played a spoiler’s role. A large section of anti-incumbency votes did not go to UDF’s kitty. The BJP-BDJS combination is critical. SNDP is strong in central and southern Kerala. By aligning with BJP, BDJS is only getting subjective satisfaction, not objective satisfaction,” he added.
Though the UDF is yet to discuss the subject, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said the front would broaden its base.
“Individuals and social groups will join the UDF. Now we have many social groups which were not with us in the 2021 assembly elections. I have been participating in many programmes of the different Christian denominations. I have been invited as the chief guest of a programme organised by the Darul Huda University, which Muslim League state president Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama president Muhammad Jifri Muthukoya Thangal are also slated to attend,” he said.
The League leadership has certain apprehensions over the inclusion of the Welfare Party. “There exists a certain picture about them in society. If they come to UDF, we might lose secular votes,” a League leader said. However, he said there is no problem in BDJS’s entry, if possible.
Meanwhile, Welfare Party state president Razak Paleri said the party is not ready to be a part of the UDF. “But we are ready for political manoeuvring in the next assembly elections. If anything in that regard is possible, we will welcome it,” he said.
It has been pointed out that though the UDF could perform well in the Malabar (Palakkad to Kasaragod), where IUML has a strong base, the front has shrunk considerably in central Kerala after the exit of the Kerala Congress (M). The shifting of a large section of the Ezhava votes to the BJP has also weakened the UDF in southern Kerala.
In the last assembly elections, the UDF managed to win only four seats — Haripad, Karunagapally, Kundara, and Kovalam — from central-south Kerala (Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram). Even in the 2024 parliamentary elections, its wins in Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, and Pathanamthitta were far from being comfortable. The only consolation was a thumping victory in Kollam.
As a political front, besides the Congress and the IUML, the UDF has no major political parties. Whereas, the LDF is way ahead in strength and representation of different sections of society. There is also a growing demand among UDF partners that the KC(M) should be brought back to the front.
“A major block to that is the KC(M) leadership’s animosity with Ramesh Chennithala over the political and government-level incidents during the last UDF government,” a senior UDF leader said.
The KC(M) has a feeling that they were betrayed by some leaders, he said.
“The Congress leaders who are manoeuvring to secure future posts by meeting caste and community leaders should engage in activities like bringing back old partners and including new parties,” he said.
According to UDF leaders, the KC(M) is unhappy in the LDF as it has been reduced to a junior partner with low-profile portfolios.
Another cause for discontent is the way the UDF leadership meetings are being held.