Tag: udf

Categories
India News Politics

Chennithala says UDF will sweep LS polls  

Exuding a big win for the CPI(M)-led LDF in the upcoming polls, he said that it is expected that in Kerala the results will be exact opposite of what happened in 2019, when the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of 20 Lok Sabha seats…reports Asian Lite News

With the date of polling for the 2024 Lok Sabha election nearing in Kerala, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday exuded confidence in winning all 20 parliamentary seats in the state.

Talking to ANI, he said that the political situation in Kerala is favourable to the Congress and the United Democratic Front, the alliance the party leads in the state.

“The situation is very conducive for UDF, we are going to win 20/20. In the last Parliament election, we won 19/20, now the situation is favourable for the Congress party and UDF,” Chennithala told ANI.

Meanwhile, terming the election as the contest to protect India’s constitution and values, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said today that the main question before the voters in Kerala is whether they want victory for the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is opposed to the “anti-people politics of the Sangh Parivar,” or they want victory for the UDF, which is “aligned to the BJP’s policies.”

“Protecting the country’s constitution and values is paramount in this election. Will the LDF, staunchly opposed to the anti-people politics of the Sangh Parivar, emerge victorious? Or should the UDF, aligned with BJP’s policies, prevail? This question lies in the hands of the voters,” Vijayan said in a press conference here.

Exuding a big win for the CPI(M)-led LDF in the upcoming polls, he said that it is expected that in Kerala the results will be exact opposite of what happened in 2019, when the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of 20 Lok Sabha seats.

“With only nine days remaining until the election, I’ve campaigned in 13 constituencies so far. It’s looking like a big win for the LDF in Kerala. It is expected that the exact opposite result of 2019 will happen in Kerala this time. The BJP and the NDA front, led by the BJP, will be relegated to third place or negligible status in all constituencies,” Vijayan said.

Kerala, whose all 20 constituencies go to the poll on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election, is witnessing high-voltage political activities on Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also holding campaign rallies in the state.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls while the Congress party had won 15 seats, its allies, the Indian Union Muslim League, won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one, and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won one seat in Alappuzha. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Kerala BJP chief vows to rename Sultan Bathery

Categories
COVID-19 Kerala

Cong appoints Satheesan as Leader of Opposition in Kerala

Incidentally, this by and large is seen as the first step of the AICC effecting a generation change in the Kerala unit of the Congress party…reports Asian Lite News.

10 days before his 57th birthday, senior Congress legislator V.D. Satheesan on Saturday was appointed by the AICC as the new Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly.

Incidentally, this by and large is seen as the first step of the AICC effecting a generation change in the Kerala unit of the Congress party.

Over the years the Congress party in Kerala has been held tightly under the faction leaders like two time Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and outgoing leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

Following the rout of the Congress led UDF in the April 6 assembly polls when incumbent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan won a resounding victory when it increased their tally from 91 seats to 99 in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, cries had begun that the need of the hour is to infuse young blood and the veterans have to move out.

Reacting to the fresh appointment, Satheesan said he is overwhelmed by the decision taken by the AICC and his primary objective is to see that secularism is upheld and will function as a responsible Leader of Opposition, both inside and outside the assembly.

“All political parties have to make changes and this could be seen as a change. Change is only natural and this is just what has happened. I expect full support from all sections as the only agenda before Congressmen is to see it come out from the present rout,” said Satheesan.

“I know a huge responsibility is bestowed before me as I am going to take a seat which was occupied by legends like Karunakaran, Antony, Chandy and Chennithala. Factions in the party have always been there in Kerala and it will continue as I also am part of a faction. Today the need of the hour is a resurrection of the party at all levels and that’s what every party member is wanting and I will play my part,” added Satheesan.

Chandy said that the Congress legislators here had met and given their choice and the final decision to choose the parliamentary party leader of the party was left to the AICC.

“And the decision has now come and Satheesan has been appointed and all will rally behind him and that’s it,” said Chandy.

Chennithala called up Satheesan and wished him all the best and pledged his full support.

Satheesan is a five time legislator and has been winning from the Paravur assembly constituency in Ernakulum district from 2001, however he lost from the same seat in his first attempt in 1996.

Now all eyes are on if the AICC will step in and get a new president in place of veteran Mullapally Ramachandran and also on the cards is a likely replacement of the UDF convenor and Congress veteran M.M. Hassan.

ALSO READ-Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala CM

READ MORE-Stranded Kerala nurses in UAE get job offers

Categories
Kerala Politics

Metroman Sreedharan faces tough battle in Palakkad

E sreedharan

The technocrat may garner a few BJP votes, but does not seem to be a winning candidate, reports Ashok parameswar

As the state gears up for polling on April 6, emotions and aspirations remain high. Despite the beating heat, voters in Palakkad are all set to usher in more development to the district. Voters across the constituencies look forward to a complete facelift of the district that has long been to be on a par with other districts of the state.

There are 12 constituencies in Palakkad district, Palakkad, Chittur, Nenmara, Tarur, Mannarkkad, Malampuzha, Alathur, Thrithala, Ottapalam, Pattambi, Kongad,and Shoranur with 73 candidates. According to Palakkad constituency, it was alternately represented by the UDF and the LDF since 1957.

Sitting MLA Shafi Parambil of the UDF who defeated BJP’s Sobha Surendran by 17,483 votes in 2016, is fully confident of representing the constituency for a third term in the legislative assembly and his rival LDF’s Pramod promises to keep up the government’s policies.

Though technocrat E Sreedharan has drawn national attention with his candidature, his political line may not necessarily translate to a win. He may garner a few BJP votes, but does not seem to be a winning candidate. Another determining factor is how the Palakkad municipality, which is being headed by the BJP since 2015 will exercise its vote.

Palakkad stands out as the urban areas align itself to the BJP and beyond it, there’s an unflinching affiliation to the Leftist ideology.

Also read:Ernakulam a key constituency for parties

The UDF might find a challenge in the vote share since the candidature of E Sreedharan might draw up the BJPs vote share a few notches. The UDF might find a challenge in the vote share since the candidature of E Sreedharan might draw up the BJPs vote share by a few margins.

Shafi Parambil

Chittur constituency which shares a border with Tamil Nadu is another seat that is likely to witness a tight contest LDF and UDF. K Krishnan Kutty who was a UDF ally in earlier polls, but won 2016 assembly election in the LDF banner. Tamil votes will be a crucial factor in the upcoming polls because of its lion’s share in Chittur.  

According to recent surveys, the UDF camp is likely to win 7 out of the 12 seats in Palakkad district while LDF would be able to bag 5 seats only. UDF’s V T Balram’s tight fight with LDF’s MB Rajesh would be another factor that grabs the attention of Kerala electoral politics. The promise of the prosperous state as put forward by the present government is yet to receive complete realisation in the district. This will decide its fate.

Also read:UDF eyes Malappuram to win Kerala

Categories
Kerala Politics

UDF eyes Malappuram to win Kerala

UDF

Malappuram likely to be a sweep for UDF, which is depending on IUML to sweep 16 seats, reports Ashok Parameswar

Surprises seem unlikely in Kerala’s Malappuram district this election. The 16 constituencies — the highest number in any district — has been a stronghold of the United Democratic Front (UDF). In the 2016 assembly elections, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) won just four seats here. The remaining seats were wrested by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key constituent of the UDF. The district which has a 70% Muslim population is the bed rock of IUML’s support base in Kerala.

Adding more head to the campaigning, the district is also witnessing a Lok Sabha bypoll. While the LDF has fielded Student’s Federation of India (SFI) national president VP Sanu to take on IUML’s PK Kunhalikutty and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) AP Abdullakutty.

For the assembly polls, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is fielding 14 of its candidates and 2 from Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS). Meanwhile the CPI(M) has fielded five Independents candidates, of the nine the Left coalition is fielding across the state. CPI on the other hand has three candidates with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Indian National League (INL) fielding one each.

Also read:BJP fields Metroman in Palakkad

The LDF, however, is looking to repeat its 2006 showing, when it swept all the seats in the segment. But the UDF is confident that it will not lose any of its strongholds. The Left’s calculations for defeating the UDF has gained momentum.

The fact that the UDF has put up strong candidates in Thavanur, Ponnani, Tanur and Nilambur constituencies also gives confidence in the formation’s supporters. The contest is stronger than that of the previous election of 2016. It is likely to be a fierce battle in Perinthalmanna and Mankada where the Left Front had lost by a slight margins last elections.

The fight in Thavanur between KT Jaleel and Feroz Kunnamparambil is one of the heated political battle that Kerala is looking forward to. The strongholds of the Muslim League in Malappuram, Kottakkal, Vallikunnu, Vengara and Ernad are unlikely to be shaken.

Malappuram is crucial for the UDF to gain power in Kerala. But unlike other elections, the Muslim League will have to put in sincere work to overcome the challenge posed by the LDF.

Also read:Ernakulam a key constituency for parties