CPM-led Left Democratic Front to hold rallies in Kerala in March, will highlight Narendra Modi govt's 'failures'

Thiruvananthapuram: The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Thursday decided to organise a Kerala March which would pass through the 140 constituencies of the state to highlight ‘failures’ of the BJP-led government at the Centre. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the front partners ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Left Democratic Front convener Vijayaraghavan said they would organise a march from both north and southern ends of the state. [caption id=“attachment_5296471” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan would lead the march from Thiruvananthapuram and CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran from the north. Both the rallies would culminate at Thrissur on 2 March, he said. Vijayaraghavan said the aim of the march is to bring down the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre. The date of the march is yet to be finalised. Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) spearheaded by the Congress party on Thursday also held a meeting of their front partners. The UDF meet witnessed demands of more seats by the alliance partners including Kerala Congress (M) and Kerala Congress (Jacob). Of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, 12 were won by the UDF and the remaining 8 by LDF in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Two of the seats are lying vacant - Wayanad and Kottayam. The Wayanad seat fell vacant with the death of Congress MP MI Shanavas. However, the Kottayam constituency became vacant when the lone MP of Kerala Congress (B), Jose K Mani, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2018. Kerala Congress (B) has now staked claim for the Idukki seat too, which was also sought by the Kerala Congress (Jacob) group. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a UDF partner, has got two seats in Parliament. “This was the first meeting before the elections. It’s not time to decide about asking for more seats,” IUML leader and MP PK Kunhalikutty told reporters after the meeting. The LDF had included four more parties into the Front in 2018 including the Kerala Congress (B) led by R Balakrishna Pillai. Marxist veteran VS Achuthanandan was not present in the LDF meet and sources close to CPM said he was unhappy with the inclusion of Pillai’s party into the Front. Achuthanandan was instrumental in getting Pillai convicted of corruption charges. The UDF meet has decided not to consider the letter of Poonjar MLA and former Kerala Congress leader PC George to join the Front.