Following a strong performance in the recent local body elections, the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is set to hold a crucial meeting on Monday. The gathering will review the current political landscape and chart the course for the upcoming assembly elections, with discussions likely to focus on expanding the coalition.
Expansion and Alliance Dynamics in Focus
The meeting is expected to deliberate on the formal entry of two new leaders into the UDF fold: Trinamool Congress leader P V Anwar and Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha leader C K Janu. There is a prevailing belief among most UDF constituents that the front should welcome willing partners before the assembly polls to strengthen its position.
However, this move faces opposition from the Kerala Congress (Joseph) group, led by P J Joseph. The faction is strongly against initiating any dialogue with the Jose K Mani-led Kerala Congress (Mani) group. Within the Congress party itself, opinions are divided. One section believes the party should proactively reach out to the KC(M) to bring them back into the alliance. Others argue that the onus lies with the Mani faction to initiate talks if they wish to return.
Election Preparations and Seat-Sharing Strategy
A major agenda point will be the preparations for the impending assembly elections. The Congress leadership aims to complete seat-sharing discussions with its UDF partners by the end of January. Their strategy involves finalizing candidates well in advance, even before the election dates are officially announced, to allow for early campaigning in respective constituencies.
Encouraged by the local body poll results, the Congress is approaching the assembly elections with confidence. The party has decided to categorize constituencies into three groups for targeted campaigning: seats considered certain wins, seats that can be won with concerted effort, and seats with relatively lower chances. Specific strategies will be devised for each category.
Local Body Verdict Provides Momentum
The UDF's optimism stems from its decisive lead in the local body elections. According to the State Election Commission, the UDF secured 38.81% of the total votes polled. This was 5.36% more than the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which garnered 33.45%.
In terms of absolute numbers, the UDF received a total of 82.37 lakh votes, which is 11.38 lakh votes more than the LDF's 70.99 lakh votes. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured 14.71% (31.21 lakh votes), while others, including independents, got 13.03%.
This significant vote share advantage has bolstered the UDF's morale, positioning it favorably as it begins its campaign for the state assembly elections.
