The Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) victory in the Pala Assembly byelection will be reflected in the upcoming bypolls in five Assembly seats in the State, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
He was inaugurating the LDF Aroor Assembly constituency election convention at Chandiroor on Monday.
“The UDF thought Pala to be their stronghold and was confident of a victory in the bypoll. Many considered the bypoll a referendum on the LDF government. The LDF wrested the seat from the UDF, which they held onto for 54 years. The result shows a change in the mindset among the people and increasing support for the LDF,” Mr. Vijayan said.
The Chief Minister said that the LDF had gained the upper hand in the Assembly byelections held in the State since 2016 Assembly polls.
“The State had witnessed three bypolls in Vengara, Chengannur and Pala Assembly seats. The LDF retained Chengannur seat with an increased majority, wrested Pala constituency and increased its vote share in Vengara. In the meantime, vote share of both the UDF and BJP have decreased. This is a trend visible across the State and will be reflected in the bypolls in five Assembly constituencies,” Mr. Vijayan added.
He said that the country’s economy was in shambles. “Both the Niti Ayog vice chairman and Reserve Bank of India Governor have raised concerns about the state of the economy. A large number of people in automobile and other sectors have lost jobs. This has reduced purchasing power of the people. Even Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is forced to organise protests against the Centre. The wrong policies of both the present BJP government and previous Congress governments were responsible for this,” the Chief Minister said.
“The Congress has become a B-team of the BJP. It has failed to make necessary intervention on the Kashmir issue, attack on minorities and dalits and various issues concerning the country, ” he said.
The LDF has fielded Manu C. Pulickal of the CPI (M) from the Aroor constituency.
