Surendran alleges the LDF’s vote share decline in Manjeswaram suggests tacit support for the UDF. He claims the LDF’s vote percentage dropped significantly in the recent assembly by-election, benefiting the UDF candidate, and points to a pattern of similar declines in previous elections where the BJP was strong.
Specifically, the LDF’s vote share decreased from 38.41% in the 2021 assembly election to 31.19% in the by-election. Simultaneously, the UDF’s vote share increased from 35.97% to 41.41%, leading to their victory. The BJP’s vote share remained relatively stable, decreasing slightly from 25.64% to 24.99%.
Surendran argues this isn’t a natural fluctuation but a deliberate strategy by the LDF to prevent a BJP win. He suggests LDF voters likely transferred their votes to the UDF to defeat the BJP candidate. He highlights similar instances in other constituencies, like Nemom in 2021, where the LDF’s vote share dipped when the BJP was a strong contender.
The article also notes that the LDF leadership hasn’t directly addressed these allegations. However, some LDF leaders have dismissed Surendran’s claims as attempts to undermine the UDF’s victory and create divisions within the opposition. They attribute the LDF’s reduced vote share to voter apathy and the specific circumstances of the by-election.
Surendran further contends that this alleged support from the LDF demonstrates a hidden understanding between the two fronts to keep the BJP out of power in Kerala. He believes this pattern reveals the true political dynamics in the state and calls for scrutiny of the LDF’s intentions. The article presents this as a developing political narrative following the Manjeswaram by-election result.
