Buoyed by LDF win in Kerala local body bypolls, Thomas Isaac slams BJP, UDF for fanning protests on Sabarimala row

Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac slammed the BJP after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) soared through the keenly contested local body by-elections in the state. The BJP, which has been riling up the agitation against women’s entry to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, was hoping to swing the Hindu votes in its favour. “Keralites shocked the BJP once again. The panchayat by-election results were announced on a day when the BJP leaders were disputing among themselves whether the Sabarimala agitation should be called off or continued,” Isaac wrote on Facebook. [caption id=“attachment_5039221” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Thomas Isaac. Facebook[/caption] He said, “Even though the BJP tried its best to highlight the Sabarimala issue, the results indicate that it has had no impact on the results. The United Democratic Front (UDF) which participated in the agitation also did not benefit from it. The foundation of the LDF has not been eroded by the Sangh Parivar or the efforts of the UDF. The communal card played by the BJP and Congress has been rejected by the voters. The stand taken by the LDF government over the Sabarimala issue has been accepted by the people including the devotees.” The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala Friday bagged 21 of the 39 seats in the keenly fought bypolls to the local bodies. The Congress-led UDF came second with 12 seats, the results of which were announced Friday. However, the BJP, which has led frenzied protests over the entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala, failed to make political dividends as expected and got only two seats. Initial results indicate that the BJP votes declined considerably as compared to the 2015 election. The BJP votes dipped to 9,869 in the seats to which the by-elections were held as compared to 11,118 votes it got in the same seats in the 2015 elections. Isaac said that the “fate of the agitation”, if it is to be continued or not has been decided by the Kerala voters. “It looks like the agitation will have to be called off and they should seek the apology of the people, especially the Ayyappa devotees. This victory gives a big confidence to the LDF workers. We can evaluate that this victory is the indication of the wins in the forthcoming elections,” Isaac wrote. The 29 November bypolls were held in 27 panchayats, five block panchayats, six municipalities and one corporation spread across 14 districts that had fallen vacant due to various reasons. The Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political outfit of Popular Front of India, reSturned two candidates, while Independent candidates won two seats. The UDF, though, lost five wards but was able to wrest four different wards from other parties. One of its candidates in Pathanamthitta municipality was defeated by a rebel Congress candidate.