The Congress-led United Democratic Front came back to power in Kerala on Friday with the slenderest majority in the history of the Assembly, winning a mere 72 of the total 140 seats. The ruling Left Democratic Front, on the other hand, put up the best performance by any incumbent since 1977, winning 68 seats. The BJP yet again failed to open its account in the Assembly.
Plausible explanations for the wafer-thin majority are the general apathy to mega-scams at the Centre and CM V.S. Achuthanandan’s strident campaign raising graft issues and allegations against Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty. Interestingly, the attack on Mr Kunhalikutty helped rally Muslim votes in Malappuram, as was proved by the League getting 12 of 16 seats. But it had a negative impact on the UDF elsewhere in Kerala.
From early morning leads, it was a yo-yo between the UDF and LDF, the rival fronts equalising at 70-70 towards noon and then the UDF laboriously hovering around 72 and finally settling there. The Congress managed to get 38 seats while the CPI(M), destined to sit in the Opposition, bagged 45. The IUML won 20 of the 24 seats it contested and backed by the pro-Church Kerala Congress with nine out of 15, shored up the UDF defences. Two by the Socialist Janata Democratic and one each by RSP(B), Kerala Congress (B) and Kerala Congress (Jacob) helped the UDF cross the halfway mark.