Anti – Mandal defeated in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Mandal and masjid seem to have helped the ruling Marxist-led Left Democratic Front in its sweeping victory in the district council elections. Nothing else can explain the LDF’s landslide victory throughout the state and inroads even in the Muslim bastion of Malappuram district where the LDF has managed to get 12, of the 40 seats. The backward castes, including the Muslims, account for nearly 60 per cent of the state’s population. The Christian- dominated central Travancore districts, hitherto considered to be UDF strongholds, have also been swept away by the LDF whirlwind. The LDF has bagged 12 of the 14 districts. In Kasaragod none of the Fronts has got an absolute majority. In terms of seats the LDF has got 320 and the UDF 141. In all, there are 474 seats. A top Congress leader admitted that the United Democratic Front had substantially lost the Muslim votes throughout the state, especially in Malappuram, due to the ambiguous stand of the UDF on the Mandal and masjid issues. The LDF had not only made the twin issues its main campaign plank but also came to be closely identified with V.P. Singh who is perceived as a savioour of the backward castes (Times of India, Feb.1)