Lok Sabha polls: KPCC hopeful of a clean sweep

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress hopes that the UDF will make a clean sweep of all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the wake of the high voting percentage and the apparent minority consolidation in its favour. The people have given a verdict against the Narendra Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan governments, according to the KPCC. The Sabarimala issue and the political violence in the state have contributed to the record voter turnout (77. 68 percent) which will benefit the UDF, say KPCC leaders.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad created a Congress wave in the state and the proof for it came in the 80.31 percent of votes cast there. Women voters formed the majority. In northern districts, the UDF feels that a triangular contest occurred only in Palakkad.

KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran told DC that the UDF will not be satisfied with anything less than 20 seats.

"We gave a good fight to our rivals and the UDF gained an edge over the CPM and the BJP. The CPM and the BJP floundered on the Sabarimala issue as the former showed haste in implementing the Supreme Court verdict and the BJP-led central government failed to bring in a law on it," said Mr Mullapally.

Though the field work in Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal and Palakkad was weak, KPCC leaders believe that Mr Shashi Tharoor will eventually win."

Adoor Prakash put up a strong fight against CPM's three-time MP A. Sampath in Attingal. The Congress machinery was weak in Attingal for long. The UDF performed well in Alappuzha, Alathur and Vatakara also," said a KPCC general secretary.
The majority of voters are opposed to the return of the Modi government and want a secular government at the centre, according to UDF leaders. Therefore, it is advantage UDF in the state, they claim.