DEMOCRAZY

By Krishnapriya J.

This time election was just like an India V/s Pakistan cricket match. People were on and in it. The counting of votes was a breath holding task with majority swinging from one end to the other frequently till the last minute. Both LDF and UDF strived their way to conquer the State and at last in a close finish to the hard fought electoral battle, the UDF edged past the LDF with a 2 seat majority to win the match….

History would have been reversed if LDF found their way back to the victory stand as the state has never allowed a ruling party to power for a second term. It was in 1982 and 1987 a similar swinging result unhook an airtight balloon of political play. In 1982, UDF got 73 and LDF got 63 seats respectively. It was a marginal of 93,521 votes, paved the victory of UDF.  Again in 1987 LDF caught hold of 78 seats while UDF managed to get 61.

There are some unique constituencies in kerala which has been ever faithful to either single party. Malappuram, kondotty and Thanoor constituencies remained the forts of Muslim League through the history. Thrikkarippur and Malampuzha constituencies remained with CPM. Things were not different from the history in these places in the 2011 election.

Right from 1964 onwards as V S Achuthanandan’s Malampuzha constituency formed, only CPM candidates won to the assembly. When E K Nayanar  became the Chief Minister in 1980 Malampuzha was  his constituency.

Thanoor remained faithful to Muslim Leauge in 16 elections including 2 by-elections and  gained majority of ten thousands every time. While taking charge as Chief Minister in 1979, C H Mohammed Koya was the representative of Malappuram. Later his son M.K Munir represented Malappuram constituency both in 1996 and 2001.

Another interesting story is regarding the Pala constituency. Pala holds the history of being fort of a single person. Right from the formation in 1964 none other than K M Mani won elections in this constituency.