Kerala Assembly polls: Shashi Tharoor predicts strong UDF surge, says anti-incumbency could deliver 85–100 seats

The political climate in Kerala is increasingly favourable to the UDF, with strong anti-incumbency sentiment visible across the State. As a result, the UDF is likely to secure a comfortable majority, possibly winning between 85 and 100 seats, said Shashi Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram and a member of the Congress Working Committee.

Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, Dr. Tharoor said that he had toured 59 constituencies across 12 districts and that the desire for change is evident from the public response he had seen throughout the tour.

The NITI Aayog’s latest report on the fiscal health and management of 18 important States puts Kerala in the 15th place, Dr. Tharoor said. “The Left Government, by depending solely on State lotteries and liquor remittances for revenue generation, has taken the State’s finances to a precarious position. This situation should change . We have people with competence, efficiency and knowledge and we will provide a governance which is focussed on the future, especially that of the youth, so that they are not forced to leave the State in search of better education and employment prospects. And the best thing about the UDF’s victory is that it will be a victory for everyone,” Dr. Tharoor said.

He said that the progress report on governance presented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vinayan was not a document that can be taken seriously. All the projects that the Left is embracing as their own and taking so much pride in -- GAIL pipeline, NH development and Vizhinjam port -- were all projects that the Oommen Chandy government had initiated and which the succeeding government took over and completed.

In both the constituencies in the district where BJP is pinning its hopes, the incumbent is the Left and it is primarily their responsibility to put up a great defence. But UDF stands a good fighting chance in these constituencies too.

“There is anti-incumbency and the CPI(M) is hoping that some of these votes will go to the BJP so that the UDF’s prospects of a win are reduced . The BJP on the other hand, is trying hard to prevent a Congress win by giving their votes to the CPI (M) because they do not want the Congress coming to power in Kerala, a State that they have not been able to touch. This win will energise Congress and give us more vigour to oppose BJP at the Centre, which is not something the BJP desires. Our conviction of a deal between the BJP and the CPI(M) is evident if you look at the candidate line-up of BJP in many constituencies,” Dr. Tharoor said.

He termed the FCRA Bill, a “dangerous” Bill.

“The Centre is very clearly saying that if we do not renew your licence or take our own sweet time to renew it or we cancel the licence, we get to confiscate anything that you have built with foreign contributions. This means that churches, educational institutions or charitable hospitals can be taken over by the Centre. This is a complete violation of natural justice,” Dr. Tharoor pointed out.

He pointed out that the Bill is all about someone’s right to receive foreign money, which the government has every right to regulate. But the State has no right to confiscate assets -- which is called expropriation in law. It is totally unacceptable that the government is trying to make it legal by passing a law like this, he said.

Dr. Tharoor said that it was good that the government had the wisdom to withhold the Bill, in the face of the joint face put up by the entire Opposition in Parliament. “We hope that at the very least, the Centre will send the Bill to a select committee or a standing committee to study it because the implications of such a Bill are grave,” Dr. Tharoor said.