I.N.D.I.A block a non-entity in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 9: Thanks to the fierce political rivalry between the traditional political rivals, the blossoming of the newly formed political block I.N.D.I.A seems to be a distant dream in Kerala.

Since Kerala has been witnessing an intense political battle between the Communists and the Congress since its formation, hence the Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A making inroad is ruled out at the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

As always, the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front will lock horns with the Congress-led UDF and the BJP-led NDA will be the third political formation which will fight 20 seats in Kerala in 2024 polls.

What's intriguing is the topmost I.N.D.I.A leader Rahul Gandhi for all practical purposes will contest again from his sitting seat at Wayanad which he won with a thumping over four lakh votes majority.

Gandhi's candidature at Wayanad was reportedly a reason for the UDF's stellar victory by winning 19 out of the 20 seats.

Incidentally, the suggestion of CPI, the second biggest ally in the ruling Left, that Gandhi should contest elsewhere was shot down from all quarters.

The Wayanad seat is one of the four seats which the CPI contests.

A top political analyst on condition of anonymity said the political scenario is such that any political student will know that I.N.D.I.A block in Kerala is a non-starter.

"The BJP will as always bring out this issue that in Kerala it's ‘Kushti’ but in Delhi it's 'Dosti' between the CPI(M) and Congress, but it’s not going to get much leverage, as that's how Kerala has always voted.

But if there is going to be any edge on account of this,the beneficiary would be BJP, but as things stand now it appears it might not be able to help them, said the political analyst.

In Kerala, the BJP continues to trail far behind the traditional rivals and they lost the only seat they had in the 2016 Assembly polls, when they failed to retain it at the 2021 elections.

At the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it was just at the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat that the BJP finished as runners-up and at the 19 other constituencies their political front ranked a distant third.