Kerala assembly elections: A battle towards improvised deception?

Image Courtesy: Anweshanam

Gaining inspiration from the verdict of the recently concluded local body polls and abundance of UDF-made ‘ammunition’ in arsenal, LDF comrades are buckling up for a ‘not so bad’ comeback in the upcoming assembly elections.

On the contrary, incumbent UDF and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) are currently being overshadowed by numerous scam allegations and a certain instability within the groups. However, amidst all the predicaments, KPCC president V M Sudheeran, hopes to brace the front together for elections.

Image Courtesy: Facebook
Image Courtesy: Facebook

For Sudheeran, reopening of SNC Lavalin case is the best bet against CPM polit bureau member Pinarayi, who is speculated to be the next chief minister of Kerala, if the Left wins. Vying to paint the Left front and Pinarayi black in the run up to the election, Sudheeran questioned Pinarayi’s  ‘obnoxious’ silence on the reopening of SNC lavalin case, in an open letter.

While revision petitions to arraign Pinarayi in lavalin case are yet to be considered by the high court, the UDF-led government can only wait for another chance to call ‘checkmate’. And it was not so long ago when chief minister Oommen Chandy took comfort of his ‘conscience’ (nothing else was available!) while he and his cabinet mates were being grilled by a vigilance court in Thrissur for their alleged involvement in scams.

Image Courtesy: Facebook
Image Courtesy: Facebook

When it comes to Pinarayi, one should remember that a cocky Chandy dilly-dallied (if not ‘refused’) to handover his intimate colleague and excise minister – K Babu’s – resignation letter to the governor. Babu had decided to step down after the vigilance court directed Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to file an FIR against him.

It did not take long for Pinarayi to retort at Sudheeran on his scathing letter. He questioned latter’s integrity in several issues including the state’s liquor policy. Pinarayi even went to the extent of alleging that Sudheeran has done under-the table dealings with Abkaris.

“Isn’t his relation with Abkaris known to all? At least that is what the Congress workers say in Thrissur. I did not want to ask these questions in public, but he has forced me to do so,” Pinarayi had told media last week.

Ironically, it looked like Pinarayi’s rebuttal backfired on February 8, when audio tape of liquor baron Biju Ramesh surfaced. In the tape, Biju was heard speaking about Left leaders, including Kodiyeri, who supposedly consented to reopen all 418 locked-down bars.

The BJP Factor

Having made Kummanam Rajasekharan the face of BJP state unit, the party eagerly awaits to form a grand alliance here, with the objective to “widen its prospects”. Kerala Pulayar Mahasabha and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam have reportedly shown keen interest on these lines.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is analysing the main pitfalls of KPCC. He claims he is looking to sort the friction within the State’s party units. He promised to bring them to fight the election in a successful manner. 

Rahul Gandhi will be in Thiruvananthapuram on February 9 to mark the valedictory ceremony of the Janaraksha Yatra led by V M Sudheeran.

Image Courtesy: Facebook
Image Courtesy: Facebook

Kerala Congress’ (Mani) inclination towards BJP’s dream alliance is also speculated to sound death knell for UDF in the upcoming elections.

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