Congress takes on narrative challenge in Kerala polls

Kerala: The assembly elections being held today in Kerala are no less than a litmus test for the Congress and its alliance UDF. The party is standing at a juncture where victory can give it new strength, while defeat can create more problems for it.

On one side is the Left Front (LDF), which is trying to return to power for the second consecutive time. On the other hand, BJP is also trying to gradually increase its hold, thereby posing a double challenge to Congress.

What is considered to be the biggest weakness of Congress?

The biggest problem of Congress is considered to be its internal conflict. There are many leaders in the party, many opinions and many factions. This is the reason why unity is not so clearly visible even during elections. In contrast, the Left parties, especially the CPM, work in a strict and disciplined structure, where decisions are taken from the top and the entire party operates accordingly.

With what strategy has UDF entered the field?

This time Congress has made some big promises to woo the people. This includes schemes like free bus travel, increasing pension to Rs 3000, financial help for youth and health insurance. Leader VD Satheesan is campaigning very aggressively on these promises. He has even said that if the party does not perform well, he will stay away from politics.

Why is the face of the chief minister not decided?

Another big problem of UDF is that it has not yet cleared the face of the Chief Minister. There are many contenders in the party, such as Ramesh Chennithala and KC Venugopal. In contrast, the LDF has put forward Pinarayi Vijayan as its face, giving voters a clear choice.

Why is Shashi Tharoor's role in discussion?

Shashi Tharoor has emerged as one of the most popular campaigners of Congress in this election. While earlier there were different opinions about him within the party, now he has been campaigned on a large scale. He is especially trying to connect the youth and is continuously campaigning on many seats. A good crowd is seen in his meetings also.

Will Congress be able to make a comeback?

The performance of Congress has continuously weakened in the last few elections, due to which the situation of the party has become more challenging. However, this time more enthusiasm is being seen among the party workers than before. More emphasis has been laid on door-to-door contact and booth level work.