LS Polls: SDPI extends support to Congress-led UDF in Kerala
Kochi, Apr 1: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), on Monday extended its support to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
However, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan told the media that the UDF has not reached any understanding with the SDPI.
SDPI state President Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi, who met the media here, said after considering all factors, the party has decided to support a secular front -- the UDF.
"In Kerala, we have decided to support the Congress-led UDF which is spearheading the anti-BJP bloc," Moulavi told the media.
The SDPI leader said the party has not fielded any candidates in Kerala but has 18 candidates in various parts of the country.
"Our Constitution is being challenged. The BJP is bringing in laws to provide citizenship on the basis of religion. Uniform Civil Code is planned, which will affect the diversity of the country. We will support the Congress-led UDF which is fighting the BJP at the national level," Moulavi said.
Satheesan, stating that many parties are extending support to the UDF, said, "We have not held any discussion with the SDPI nor have reached any understanding."
Polling will be held in Kerala on April 26 for the Lok Sabha elections and the nationwide results will be declared on June 4.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Confident we are going to win Kerala: Shashi Tharoor
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday expressed confidence in the victory of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, saying the Congress-led alliance will win more than 75 seats out of the total 140 in the state.
Tharoor, who hails from Kerala, said he was not surprised to see the results of the exit polls, most of which predicted a victory for the UDF that has been out of power for 10 years in the state.
"We have been on the ground. I have campaigned in 59 constituencies across 12 districts out of 14. I was very confident we are going to win.
"Everything that I have picked up from not just my party colleagues and workers but also from other observers, media and others have always convinced me that we were going to score a comfortable win of above 75 seats. And all the (exit) polls have confirmed the same thing," he told reporters here.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP said he was not surprised to see the results of the exit polls but in general he was not a big fan of exit polls in India.
"Because ours is not purely a homogenous society. We have to take into account gender issue, caste issue, class issue, regional disparities. You never get a convincingly large enough sample to give an accurate poll and now there is the additional complication that we have heard about in West Bengal this year that many people are unwilling to answer the questions of the pollsters," he said.
The Congress leader said normally, it used to be below 10 per cent that people said that they would not answer.
"Even if you are a reputable exit pollster, in Bengal, one polling company has said 60 per cent of people refused to answer. So, what is the worth of a poll where 60 per cent of your respondents have not answered," he said.
Several exit polls on Wednesday predicted a comeback by the Congress-led UDF in Kerala after 10 years, dethroning the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Polling for the 140-member Kerala assembly was held on April 9. Results of assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry, besides Kerala, will be announced on May 4.
