After Lok Sabha polls, LDF will vanish: Congress

Thiruvananthapuram, March 20 (IANS) With no anti-incumbency factor visible in Kerala, the problem-ridden LDF, a coalition of Opposition parties in the southern state, will vanish after the polls, a senior state Congress minister said Thursday.

Addressing reporters here at an election-related programme organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, Home Minister and former state Congress president Ramesh Chennithala said the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is going through its worst times.

“This has happened because of the autocratic functioning of the CPI (M). The situation is such that there is no ‘democracy’ in the LDF. The principal of ‘coalition dharma’ no longer exists, as allies are unhappy and hence after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls the LDF itself will vanish,” said Chennithala Wednesday.

He even listed out the number of political parties which have walked out of the LDF in recent times, namely Kerala Congress - Secular, Kerala Congress - Joseph, Socialist Janata Democratic and Revolutionary Socialist Party.

“The relevance of the Left in the country is undergoing a free fall ever since they decided to withdraw support to the first UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government and after that, things have gone from bad to worse for them,” Chennithala said.

"In West Bengal they are more or less finished and here too with no anti-incumbency factor, we will sweep the polls. Once the polls are over in the country, the CPI (M) will lose the status of a national party too,” said Chennithala, predicting doom for the party.

He pointed out that unlike the autocratic functioning of the CPI (M), the Congress party functions like a liberal democratic political system and whenever there is a need, the party rises to the occasion and works as a unit.

“There is an overall feel good factor in the Congress led UDF (United Democratic Front) because there is a positive wind that’s blowing our way. If at all there are any undercurrents, it’s going to come to our help,” added Chennithala.

Kerala goes to the polls on April 10 to elect 20 Lok Sabha members. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, the UDF has 16 and the LDF four seats.