As the New Year opens with the sound of a bugle for yet another political battle in Kerala, the two leading fronts — the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) — are building their campaigns cautioulsy. In order to open its account in the state Assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party is also in the forefront though its state unit is facing serious internal issues.
The UDF has kicked off its campaign with 'Kerala Liberation March' from Uppala in Kasargod district on Monday. The march is scheduled to end at Parassala near Thiruvananthapuram on February 4. Opposition leader Oommen Chandy, who is the frontrunner to be the next chief minister, is leading the march. Along the march, workers will organise a signature campaign against the LDF government, to be submitted to the Governor.
For the last three to four Assembly polls, it has been a practice of the two fronts and other political parties to organise month-long marches, which span the length of the state and acquire the atmosphere of a local festival. LDF is expected to organise a similar march soon to drive home the achievements of the government and the BJP is expected to follow suit.
The LDF government is now actively announcing welfare programmes for all sections as the Election Commission's code of conduct prohibits last minute announcements. The government decided to present its last budget on February 11, which is expected to have schemes focusing on agriculture and traditional industries as well as on civil servants, pensioners and workers in traditional sectors.
The Pay Commission has filed its report and the state Cabinet has deputed a sub-committee of ministers headed by the finance minister to study and report to the cabinet. The government is expected to revise salaries from April.
The government has also decided to take up the additional liability for land acquisition for National Highway widening and to implement the rehabilitation package. The Education department will distribute laptops and notebooks to all teachers in the state.
On the other hand, UDF is focusing its campaign on exposing the 'failure' of the government in developing the industrial and IT sectors in the state. The KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala said that the state had gone back 15 years during the LDF rule, highlighting the Smart City and Vizhinjam International seaport projects.
The alleged involvement of CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in Lavelin case and Lottery scandal have become weapons in the armory of the UDF. Till elections, the political arena of the state will be more vibrant and all the local news channels will temporarily make shift into full-fledged political channels.
