THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the assembly elections less than a month away, the Congress-led UDF appears cautiously hopeful, even as uncertainty looms large over its prospects.
For the principal opposition alliance, the battle ahead promises to be an arduous campaign. It will have its work cut against, on the one side, the LDF, which has been in power for nearly a decade and is seeking another term in power, and on the other, the BJP-led NDA, which is attempting to make the most of the anti-incumbency factor.
Caught between an entrenched ruling front and an aggressive third force seeking to expand its footprint, the UDF faces the challenge of consolidating anti-government votes while projecting itself as a credible alternative.
However, the Congress in Kerala has many things going for it. Given the Pinarayi Vijayan government’s two consecutive terms in office, anti-incumbency remains the UDF’s biggest political asset. Unlike in many other states where the Congress is on shaky ground, in Kerala, its organisation remains largely intact. The front still has senior leaders at the helm and a vibrant second rung.
The UDF will be keen to build on its impressive showing in the recent local body polls and victories in assembly by-elections.
However, the disunity among the top Congress leaders, who are scheming to include their loyalists in the candidate list in violation of party norms, is a cause for concern.
Congress leaders maintain that public dissatisfaction with the ruling front will ultimately work in their favour.
Yet, the UDF’s move to welcome turncoats from the left front and assure them candidature, by denying opportunities to long-standing leaders, has not gone down well with the public.
Besides, the opposition front faces a trust deficit in presenting a vision for the future of Kerala. Its aggressive stance has given the impression that the front is anti-development. The guarantees declared by Rahul Gandhi have not been able to significantly alter that perception.
More importantly, the UDF will have to contend with an aggressive NDA as they battle for a larger share of the anti-incumbency pie. And how successfully it taps into that sentiment will determine the future of the front.
