Saturday, May 14, 2011

KERALA ELECTION RESULTS 2011: An Overview

What does the election results really show?

A common media review, which like to identify differences in castes and religions; or parties in fronts and the groups in parties and other such technicalities would render some typical reasons. Communal vote polarisation, the tradition of anti-incumbency factor in Kerala, technicality of victories and scientific approach of parties. And, would render the "man of the match" award to VS.

Is it VS factor taking an upper hand? The leanest margin, might say has its roots in this, but; if it was for VS, why  was Kunjalikutty and Ganeshkumar able to get a bigger margin? After all, Edamalayar and Ice-cream was the two new hot topics he wished to repeat over and over again. His final entity of reversing Smart City didnt pay off in Ernakulam.
Was it just anti-incumbency? The minister who got maximum accreditation as the best minister; MK Premachandran failed and Thomas Issac, who was constantly under the question mark won
Was it community politics?  Best comeback of IUML and considerably better performance by CPM against expectation (as assessed by BJP) and the three second places for BJP; might feel that consolidation of votes did occur. Then what is the reason for the failure of delivery from KCM? With increased strength and increased possibilities, KCM should have done much better than this. Muslim organizations like SDPI, which is more fundamentalist; should have got more votes and reduced the leads in IUML constituencies.
Is it just technical victory for UDF? Because UDF won 5 out of the 8 seats that were won below 1000 votes. But, the top majorities, 1,2 and 3 are of UDF as well. And, three "duplicates" candidates in the 8 seats, earned more votes than the lead of the winner; which makes the effective lead actually bigger than that.
Scientific approach of the parties also might feel a good take. IUML had professionalised its approach by developing strategies based on surveys. But, was not CPM always doing it earlier?  And if they had been doing it, how come they went behind in Kannoor? For almost two months, Kerala PRD had spent millions in describing the efforts of state government.And yet, we saw three ministers loosing their seats. Two of them had nothing to go against them



But my review is totally different. In fact, this is the actual win of the people. I believe it is all what the people, the so-called "independent viewer" wanted to do. There have been a lot of discussions in every social media; where we could vote as “none of these”. This is what actually the citizens of Kerala have done.

We do not want any more smaller parties. Look at the dismissal of JSS, CMP, KCP and CongS. Look at the weak performances of KCB and KC Jacob. Jacob too, would have been history, had just a couple of hundred votes got shifted. 


We do not like opportunists. Look at the weak performances of KCM. The inclusion of KC Joseph did not help them. Look at the performance of SJP. They have performed worse than their faction in LDF. LDF was able to depict SJP's moving into UDF as being opportunistic, thanks to the timely action by Mathew T Thomas.

We believe in performance at our doorstep, and give not much of interest in allegations and scams. The huge comeback of PK Kunjalikutty; the restoration of MK Muneer, Ganeshkumar and Manjalamkuzhi Ali are such proofs. The increased majority of VS and Oomen Chandi, the decrease in lead for KM Mani, all are such examples. Failure of sitting seats of UDF, also show how ground reality performance matters.Despite being a very good minister and negotiating with TamilNadu, Preamchandran failed to perform in his seat. Shibu Baby John, did render his victory to the interferences that his party did in local politics.

No big fundamentalist communal approach could make out success. The factions of Muslims, SDPI, PDP and Jamaath-e-islami failed to make impacts in constituencies were the new IUML; which was bold enough to say, "we dont need such votes". Their prime targets of Shaji and Muneer won in the end. NSS could not work it out for UDF in Pathanamthitta. KCM should have made mid-travancore a clean sweep. They too failed.

And finally, we need a revolutionAnd finally, we need a revolution. We have had enough with tossing the coin over and over again.

By the end of 2015, I am sure, we will be seeing a new leadership and new names in the forefront of Kerala Politics.

Our “Jasmine revolution” is in the making