Tough path ahead for Congress and UDF

Thiruvananthapuram: Just weeks after losing Pala by-poll, UDF has suffered another blow by losing sitting seats at Vattiyoorkavu and Konni making the course ahead for the Congress-led front, tough.  It will be no wonder even if a change is brought about in the structure of the front.

Though it could win three out of five seats where by-polls were held, the seats which Congress lost were dominated by the party for a long time.  Despite boasting of wresting Aroor constituency from the left after a long time, the Congress and UDF are in jitters after losing their two sitting seats. The front had a narrow escape in Ernakulam. The victory of Muslim League at Manjeshwaram is the only consoling part.

After the by-polls,  a situation has emerged that the difference between the numeric strength of Congress and Muslim League, the second major constituent of the front in the Assembly, has become slim again.

After the bypolls UDF has lost the upper-hand, which it had gained in state politics through Lok Sabha elections.  The situation is worrisome for the front as elections for local bodies and legislative assemblies are set to happen within one and a half years.

The loss also might prove to be a blow for the front's ruling ambitions. The Congress leadership, which blamed infighting of Kerala Congress for its loss in Pala, has again lost its face. Both the party and the front will have to spend much effort to get through the situation.

The results in a way also vindicate the LDF claim after Lok Sabha election results, that the UDF gains then were temporary.  The result also reiterates that the Sabarimala issue cannot be made a campaign issue in all elections.

The failure of party to conceive the pary workers' sentiment to strengthen the party to the grass root level is one of the main reasons behind the loss.

Due to excesses of groups, the congress party is in conundrum when it thinks for a reorganisation. The congress and the front fail to undertake issues against the government successfully. Instead, the leadership is bearing on the caste organisation unwarrantably.

The situation is being severely criticised inside the party and among the allies. These criticisms may soon spit in open in the coming days. The allies are not happy with the course of the congress and the front. Though the constituent parties may not demand for a change in the leadership, they definitely will call for a shift in the course of action.