Both UDF, LDF anticipate favourable poll outcome

Thiruvananthapuam: The UDF and the LDF are making tall claims about the election results as they prepare for the next round of intense campaigning. The UDF leaders say the front will repeat the 1977 results when it swept the polls despite the Emergency.

As Defence Minister A. K. Antony's road show  from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram is set to begin on Sunday, LDF leaders say that the UDF has been discredited which  would be to the LDF’s advantage.

Earlier, the UDF was hoping to win 12 seats which the election surveys had predicted. But KPCC general secretary Sooranad Rajasekharan told DC that 1977 would be repeated in Kerala this time. In that election, when the Congress suffered defeat in North India, only the four southern states gave some relief to the party.

“Contrary to our earlier expectations, the KPCC hopes to repeat the same results now too. Antony will kick off his road show on Sunday from Kasargod and will campaign  in Attingal on April 7 and Thiruvananthapuram on April 8,” he said.

Both the CPM and the BJP ridiculed the KPCC leadership’s claim saying that the Congress was sure of getting a drubbing at the national level. LDF convener Vaikom Viswan told DC that the LDF will better its 2004 results. He added that Congress was sure of facing defeat at the national level and scraping through here.

BJP state president V. Muraleedharan opined that the UDF had surrendered to his party in advance at the national level.

“In 1977, the UDF had a clean sweep, but otherwise the Congress show was pathetic in the rest of the country. The Congress has accepted  defeat in advance,”  Mr Muraleedharan told DC.