Post LS results: What next for Kerala's three political fronts?

Thiruvananthapuram, June 5 (IANS) A day after the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were declared, all the three political fronts in Kerala are mulling the way forward.

The biggest highlight of the Kerala Lok Sabha polls was the Lotus blooming in the state, with actor Suresh Gopi winning from Trissur.

The Congress-led UDF got 18 seats and the ruling CPI(M)-led Left ended up with one seat.

In the 2019 polls, out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress won 19 and the CPI(M) one.

The BJP-led NDA did not win any seat and finished second in just one and a distant third on the remaining seats.

This time the NDA managed to increase its vote share from 15.56 per cent in 2019 to 19.18 per cent, while the UDF saw its share decline from 47.24 per cent to 46.22 per cent and the Left share slipped from 35.11 per cent to 34.63 per cent.

In terms of numbers, though the Left managed to keep status quo with regards to 2019, the Congress candidates increased their victory margins in the traditional strongholds of the CPI(M).

It included constituencies like Kasargod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Vadakara and Palakkad.

The CPI(M) plans to introspect and Chief Minister Vijayan will have to find a replacement for his Cabinet colleague and Minister of ST/SC, K Radhakrishnan who was the party’s lone winner.

Since Radhakrishnan belongs to the SC community, it remains to be seen if CM Vijayan will induct an SC MLA of his party into the Cabinet.

He also has to find a party candidate for the Chelakara Assembly constituency which Radhakrishnan represents.

Then comes the need for finding a suitable party candidate for the Palakkad Assembly constituency as the Congress’ Shafi Parambil won big from the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency.

The UDF will first have to find a candidate to replace Parambil in his Assembly constituency. Then they have the onerous task of placating K Muraleedharan who lost the sitting Congress seat to Suresh Gopi at Trissur.

K Muraleedharan has already gone public saying that he will no longer be available to contest and will not attend party meetings.

As for the BJP state unit, though they can claim that they played a crucial role in increasing the party’s vote share and making the lotus bloom, it remains to be seen if there is going to be a shake-up in the party organisation.

Now, all eyes are on what CM Vijayan has to say as he was peeved when asked if the Lok Sabha polls would be an assessment of his governance.