The massive drubbing faced by the United Democratic Front in Pathanamthitta, considered its stronghold, is sure to cause much confusion in the Congress and Kerala Congress(M) camps.
Except Konni, all the other four Assembly segments in the district have gone the Left Democratic Front way, banishing both the Congress and the KC(M) which were once regarded as the political favourites of the district. The Congress and the UDF will find it difficult to adjust with this electoral defeat for more than one reason.
Konni, where Revenue Minister and sitting MLA Adoor Prakash retained his seat for the fifth consecutive term, is the lone solace for the UDF.
However, the UDF could not claim the victory in Konni a political one as it was purely a personal victory for Mr. Prakash who had enjoyed the trust of party workers and the apolitical populace of the constituency all these years.
In Thiruvalla, the internal tussle in the UDF came to the fore when senior Congress leader P.J. Kurien fired the first salvo against KC(M) general secretary Joseph M. Puthussery whom the party had decided to field in Thiruvalla. Prof. Kurien had even wrote to KC(M) supremo K.M. Mani, opposing Mr. Puthussery’s candidature. Though the issue was settled at a meeting attended by Mr. Mani and Prof. Kurien later, its repercussions could be felt among a section of KC(M) and Congress workers in Thiruvalla. This, coupled with various other socio-political factors, has greatly influenced the UDF defeat for a third consecutive term in Thiruvalla.
Third in 36 booths
Outgoing Aranmula MLA K. Sivadasan Nair has accused the District Congress Committee leadership of gross failure in extending due support to the party candidate in Aranmula. The Congress candidate was trailing behind his CPI(M) rival, Veena George, in all the panchayats in the constituency as well as the supposedly UDF bastion of Pathanamthitta municipality. Congress stood third in as many as 36 booths in the constituency.
In Adoor, fielding former JSS leader K.K. Shaju, who had recently switched over his loyalty to the Congress, has badly irked the party cadres as well as leaders in the constituency.
The Congress even faced a rebel threat in Adoor in protest against Mr. Shaju’s candidature. This resentment in the Congress camp has ultimately paved way for a thumping victory to sitting MLA Chittayam Gopakumar.
The drubbing of Congress candidate Mariyamma Cherian in Ranni is a testimony to the gross organisational failure of the UDF.
Former DCC president Peelipose Thomas, who was defeated by Raju Abraham of the CPI(M) thrice in the past, had alleged on more than one occasion that he was defeated by his own party men and not by the LDF and the 2016 polls has once again thrown light upon this observation.
