Kerala: Results show minorities chose UDF

Trivandrum, May 17: The results show that the

performed well in minority- dominated areas like Malappuram and Kottayam even as the Congress lost some of its traditional strongholds like Thrissur and Chalakkudi.

These losses are sure to trigger rumblings within the Congress but Chandy's detractors are not in a position to make an assault on him. According to the LDF sources, the results have come below their expectations though its tally had gone up to eight from four in 2009. More than the numbers, what worries the Left is such glaring defeat of the party's politburo member M A Baby at the hand of the RSP's N K Premachandran in Kollam.

The RSP had left the LDF on the eve of the polls protesting the "highhandedness" of the CPI(M), rejecting outright its demand for contesting the Kollam seat. Another major setback for the CPI(M) was its defeat in Vatakara, where the party has been under defensive over the politically sensitive murder of RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan in 2012.

Once a party bastion, this is the second time that the CPI(M) failing to regain its hold over Vatakara where Congress's Mullappally Ramachandran narrowly won. Though BJP's dream of opening the account turned futile once again, the party emerged second in Thiruvananthapuram and increased its vote share in many of the seats across the state.

This is for the first time that the BJP finished runner up in any Lok Sabha election in Kerala as CPI's Bennet Abraham was relegated to third position. The failure of the BJP to win any seat has thrown up the question what kind of representation the state would have in the Modi ministry.

Though the state BJP leadership is clueless on this, speculation is rife that one of the party leaders would be accommodated or some eminent Keralite from outside political sphere would be inducted in the ministry. CPI, which drew a blank in 2009, has the solace of winning one of the four seats it contested this time as its nominee C N Jayadevean wrested Thrissur seat from Congress.

PTI