Thiruvananthapuram: With the stage all set for the counting of votes to begin, all eyes are on the poll results in Kerala with the exit polls predicting a significant gain for the BJP in the state. The outcome of the Lok Sabha polls is also equally crucial for the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
As for the ruling CPI(M), there is growing resentment within the Left-front over the series of corruption allegations and extravaganza of the Pinarayi Vijayan government as well as the personal allegations involving Vijayan's daughter. The resentment could come out in the open overtly and covertly in case of a setback for the left-front in the polls.
For CPI(M) and CPI, the Kerala election results are crucial as it is the lone state where the party is in power. The CPI has already lost national party status and CPM's national party status is hanging in balance.
For the Congress, this is the first general election after a shake up in the party state leadership. K Sudhakaran was made the party state president and V D Satheesan the opposition leader after the party faced defeat for the second consecutive time in the assembly elections in 2021. Any setback for the Congress in Kerala in this election would be a shot in the arm for those targeting Sudhakaran and Satheesan.
Sudhakaran, who is a Lok Sabha MP, has more reasons to be concerned this time as he had a tough contest at his sitting seat Kannur. There were also attempts to remove him from the Kerala PCC president post.
If the BJP manages to open its account in Kerala, there are also high chances of more Congress and even some of the CPM workers joining the saffron party. It was reported earlier that some senior CPM leaders, including Left-front convener E P Jayarajan was exploring the possibility.
In the 2019 general elections, the UDF won 19 out of the 20 seats in Kerala, which was widely considered as an impact of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad. But this time around, the Rahul factor was not too strong and hence the UDF camps were also expecting only around 15 to 16 seats on the lines of the exit poll predictions.
Since both Congress and left-parties are part of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, victory on either side would ultimately benefit the alliance at the national level.
Wayanad's future hangs in balance
Ever since Rahul's decision to contest from Raebareli came, discussions of a possible by-poll in Wayanad was doing the rounds in the state. This could gain more steam from Tuesday as the Congress top leader's victory from both seats are almost certain.
Even as there are wild speculations that in case of Rahul leaving Wayanad, a national leader of his stature could be considered by the party, sources in Kerala said that no such discussions took place so far.
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