A massive anti-government wave has swept the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) out of power in Kerala, even as the BJP created history by opening its account in the State Assembly.
The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has secured 91 seats against 47 of the UDF, though all the results are yet to be finalised. The BJP's historic victory has come through party veteran O. Rajagopal, who defeated his immediate CPI(M) rival V. Sivankutty by a convincing margin of 8,671 in the Nemom constituency in south Kerala.
The UDF's massive defeat indicates that a strong anti-government sentiment, triggered by graft charges against several Ministers in the Oommen Chandy Cabinet and many leading UDF politicians, had grown into a political tsunami.
Among those who suffered humiliated defeat were Speaker N.Sakthan and four Ministers — Excise Minister K. Babu, Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan, Labour Minister Shibu Baby John and Scheduled Tribe Development Minister P.K. Jayalakshmy.
The Opposition alliance decimated the UDF in Kollam, Thrissur and Alappuzha districts and put up an impressive show in Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Kozhikode districts, in the process taking the wind out of the UDF's sails.
The BJP's gamble of teaming up with the newly formed Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) did not produced the desired the result. However, the BJP-led alliance was able to put up a strong showing in many constituencies, particularly in Manjeswaram where the party lost by a wafer thin margin of 89 votes. A recount was on in the constituency when reports last came in.
Three parties — Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Janata Dal (United) and the Kerala Congress (Democratic) have drawn a blank in the State.
The parties that have reaped handsome electoral dividend in the elections are the CPI(M) and the CPI. The LDF's gamble of putting up independent nominees in several constituencies in IUML stronghold of Malappuram also seemed to have succeeded, the alliance winning two key seats in the district.
One surprise victory was that of P.C. George, who had broken away from the ruling alliance, but could not find a place in the LDF. He won by a massive margin of 27,821 votes in Poonjar, defeating all three major players in the fray.
