Kozhikode: Senior Congress party leader and Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi, has said that the anti-incumbency factor against the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government would be negligible considering the development activities implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the State.

Addressing journalists at a Meet-the-Press programme organised at the Calicut Press Club here on Sunday evening, he said that the UDF was facing the elections with confidence. Even the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had no choice but to speak of a development agenda envisaged by the UDF, he said.

Replying to queries on accommodating the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) into the UDF fold, Mr. Ravi said that the Congress party had moved a resolution at its State conference in Kochi recently and would take a final decision in this regard. However, he maintained that any change in the present situation would also depend on the decision of the DIC(K) leaders.

Mr. Ravi evaded a direct answer when asked whether the chances of victory of UDF in the Assembly elections depended on its alliance with the DIC(K). But the Congress leader said that even smaller parties mattered in a coalition during the polls. A tie-up could make a difference, he said.

He said that there were differences of opinion within the Congress party on the UDF having an alliance with the DIC(K).

However, many of the UDF constituents were of the view that an association with the DIC(K) would benefit the UDF during the elections. The Congress party was taking into consideration the suggestions of its partners in this regard, he said.

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