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Why the voters did not favour the UDF?

Roy Mathew

Verdict 2006 is a clear message to the United Democratic Front

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The electoral verdict of 2006 is louder and clearer than in any Assembly election in the State in the past 25 years.

A look at those felled by the voters gives a clear indication of the reasons behind the debacle of the United Democratic Front (UDF).

Take for instance the case of the Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty who was thought to be invincible in Kuttippuram. K.T. Jaleel (LDF-Independent) trounced him by a convincing margin. Apart from allegations related to the ice-cream parlour sex scandal case, the former Minister faced the charge that he undermined the justice system.

Minister for Agriculture K.R. Gouri and Minister for Cooperation M.V. Raghavan met with their waterloo at the hands of not-so-well-known faces. They were Ministers in charge of key departments which could have helped out farmers in misery. But they failed to provide substantial help and support to the farmers to stand on their feet. Most of the suicides of farmers were reported from Wayanad and Idukki districts. So, it was no accident that the UDF was wiped out in Wayanad district. The Front has to be satisfied with just one of the five seats in the usually pro-UDF district of Idukki. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy admitted on Friday that his development agenda went well with the overseas Keralites but not so well with those living in the State. Government polices were catering to the neo-rich from Gulf countries who had money to invest while the pressing problems of farmers and workers were ignored.The Government was also very keen to extend special facilities to Gulf Malayalis who paid no direct taxes. The local people saw a point when Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan raised the flag against alienation of public resources in the name of investment.

However, the style of functioning of the Chief Minister and his mass contact programmes seemed to have gone well with the people as his popularity ratings and record margin show. The opening up of the higher education was something that the Government had always taken credit for.

However, the manner in which it went about with that gave the impression that it was catering to vested interests. For the first time, the questions papers of the SSLC examination leaked and the Government appeared to be trying to undermine the investigation. Education Minister E. T. Mohammed paid a price for it though all that was not of his making.

Public Works Minister M. K. Muneer too attracted criticism in his quest for seeing the Expressway project through. One of the allegations he faced was that he was catering to the land mafia and showing favouritism in the award of contracts. However, disenchantment within the League was also a factor in his eventual defeat in the elections. Former Minister Cherkalam Abdulla, who lost in Manjeswaram, also faced a similar predicament. After having represented the constituency for years, he had failed to ensure drinking water to the people and help the victims of Endosulfan.

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