Kerala has three major political alliances fighting it out in the assembly elections. For the first time in 60 years, NDA led by BJP is aggressively trying to enter the two-sided political structure in Kerala.
1. United Democratic Front
Created by veteran leader of the Indian National Congress (INC), K. Karunakaran, UDF is an alliance between INC, Indian Union Muslim League, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Janata Dal (U) and Kerala Congress (J). It is the current ruling coalition, led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy (INC), battling the elections to rule for another five years.
During the UDF government, members have been under the limelight for major scams and corruption scandals such as the solar scam and the bar scam. However, the strategy of the UDF this election has been playing up new developments such as the Kochi metro rail project, Kochi smart city project and trial flights at the new Kannur international airport in Kerala.
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A major debate during the elections this year is the UDF decision to shut down all bars that have less than a five-star rating. This led to the closure of around 700 bars in the state and restricted sale of foreign alcoholic beverages in approved bars.
We have chosen four possible CM candidates from UDF. Take our poll and let us know who you think will lead the government if UDF wins these elections.
2. Left Democratic Front
LDF is an alliance of leftist and extreme-left parties including the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M), Janata Dal (S), National Congress Party, Indian Congress (socialist), Indian National League and other supported independent parties.
LDF manifesto promises 2.5 million jobs in five years
Alternatively ruling every five years, the LDF alliance have had a public image of being opposed to developments in the state. However, in the manifesto released by LDF in April, the alliance pledges to create industrial and commercial ventures with an NRI-development fund. This, the alliance says, will help rehabilitate those who return to Kerala. They have also pledged to create a corruption-free state. The alliance has not made any statements about upholding the bar-restriction rule set by UDF.
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The LDF election strategy this year includes the use of social media with the phrase ‘LDF varum ellam sheriyakum’ which can be loosely translated to ‘everything will be fine when LDF comes into power’.
The CM candidate has not been announced but we have taken some calculated guesses. Do you agree?
3. National Democratic Alliance
Initially led and started by Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP, this natinal alliance of parties with a centre-right ideology includes many regional parties such as the Telugu Desam party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Shiv Sena, All India N.R. Congress and many others.
In Kerala, they have formed an alliance with Bharat Dharma Jana Sena Party led by Vellapally Natesan. It is backed by the social organisation of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam which works for the development and rights of the Ezhava community in Kerala.
Another ally contesting the elections under the NDA banner is C.K. Janu, tribal rights activist. S. Sreeshanth, former Indian cricketer, is also an electoral candidate for BJP contesting from Tripunithura.
For 60 years, Kerala has been alternatively ruled by UDF and LDF with zero BJP constituencies. This year NDA is trying to enter this political structure aggresively, and both UDF and LDF are fighting for what they call ‘the BJP-free Kerala assembly’. What might affect their chances days before the election is the uproar caused by Indian Prime Minister Modi’s comment likening Kerala’s infant mortality rates in scheduled castes and tribes to that of Somalia's.
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With NDA trying to open its electoral accounts in Kerala, we see the following CM possibilities if they win. Do you agree?
Your vote
Take our poll to let us know which alliance you think should come to power in Kerala. Share your vote on Facebook and Twitter with @GulfNewsGuides
