LDF to take out Kerala march ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 18 The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front held their leadership meetings ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due later this year.

The LDF, which hosted included four additional gatherings, including the Kerala Congress (B) driven by R Balakrishna Pillai, to its fold a year ago, Thursday chose to sort out a "Kerala March" covering all the 140 assembly constituencies in the state.

The UDF meet witnessed demands for 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 rest of the 8 by the LDF in the 2014 polls.

LDF convenor Vijayaraghavan said the front would organise two marches-one each from the northern and southern parts.

"CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will lead the march from Thiruvananthapuram and CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran will head the march from north. Both the rallies will culminate at Thrissur on March 2," he told reporters.

Vijayaraghavan said the aim of the marches was to cut down the Narendra Modi government.

Communist veteran V S Achuthanandan was absent in the LDF meet and sources close to the party said he was discontent with the consideration of Pillai's party into the Front.

Achuthanandan was instrumental in pursuing the corruption case against Pillai leading to his conviction.

In the UDF, KC(M), notwithstanding its Kottayam situate, has now staked case for the Idukki body electorate as well, which was also sought by the KC (Jacob) gathering. Kottayam seat is presently empty after the sitting member Jose K Mani was nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

"This was the principal meeting before the decisions. It's not time to choose about requesting more seats," Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) pioneer and MP P K Kunhalikutty told media after the meet.

The UDF meet has also decided not to consider the letter of Poonjar MLA and previous Kerala Congress leader P C George expressing his craving to join the front.