People's mandate is vertically divided in Kerala. It is only in a technical sense that the UDF has a majority. The results substantively indicate that the LDF has reclaimed the confidence of the people. The CPM is the single largest party in the State with 45 seats and the Congress on its own has only 38 seats. With the Congress having lesser moral stake in the government formation, the might of the allies is going to be critical and decisive. The Muslim League sweep of the Malappuram district winning 20 out of the 23 seats it contested and Kerala Congress (Mani) win of 9 seats out of 13 in mid-Travancore indicates a minority consolidation towards favouring the UDF. However, in equivalence to this, there is a Hindu vote consolidation that has enabled the LDF to secure a good score. Perhaps the vertical polarisation has a communal angle to it.
The premium lesson for the Left parties, in this graceful failure, is that the people will endorse and support the Communist parties in its pursuit of realising the priorities and goals of the Left politics. The election result of Kerala has to be contrasted with the debacle of the Communist front in the West Bengal. Quasi-socialist underpinnings of the policy measures, the LDF government implemented towards the end of its term, activated its traditional support base. It was from this foundation, VS Achuthanandan, 87-year-old Chief Minister of Kerala, spearheaded his campaign. No doubt, the campaign of Achuthanandan has uniquely contributed to the change of fortune for the Left parties. It was obvious, right from the beginning of the election campaign, that the 'war cry' of the rebellious Chief Minister of Kerala is going to make an impact.
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