People's Democracy

Three Years Of

LDF Govt In Kerala

Vaikom Viswan

THE LDF government of Kerala completes its third year in office. The results of the parliament elections came out almost at the same period. If we examine the general voting pattern in Kerala, we can come to the conclusion that people go to the polling booths with different attitudes towards the assembly elections and parliament elections. In the recently concluded parliament elections, a political condition favourable to Congress party has emerged throughout the country. We can see that there was a calculated attempt, on a massive scale, by the imperialist forces to weaken the Left movements in our country in the recent elections. It is very clear even from the preliminary analysis of the election results that there was a constant attempt by the right wing media and the so called ultra Left to weaken the Left movements in Kerala and West Bengal, the two strong forts of Left movement in the country.

The UDF has won a great victory by winning 16 out of the 20 parliament constituencies in Kerala. The LDF has emerged victorious only in four parliament constituencies. Even though there is a fall in the number of seats secured by LDF, it can be seen that the number of votes polled by LDF has not reduced in the same proportion. In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the LDF got 69,46,126 votes. In the recently concluded elections, LDF got 67,17,488 votes. The difference is 2,28,638 votes. This shows that we lost a small percentage of votes, compared to the last elections. We will examine the weakness and make the necessary corrections. The UDF polled 58,05,280 votes in the 2004 parliament elections. In comparison with those figures, it can be seen that the LDF has secured nearly 9 lakh votes more that what UDF got in 2004. But the UDF polled 76,53,189 votes in the present elections. We can see that the UDF has this time got votes which they could not get last time. The BJP had got 10,31,274 votes in this elections but in the previous election they were able to secure 18,30,709 votes. That means there is a fall in the BJP votes by nearly seven and a half lakhs. We can infer that these votes have naturally gone into the UDF kitty. That means the UDF has increased their vote share by 18 lakh only because the BJP has contributed 7.5 lakhs votes to the UDF kitty. Therefore it can be seen that the argument that the base of LDF has weakened is completely wrong.

The Left will continue the fight against the neo-liberal globalisation policies. Accordingly we will vigorously strengthen the alternative programmes pursued by us.

LDF GOVT�S

RECORD

The agricultural sector had witnessed a total depression during the last UDF regime and thousands of farmers were compelled to commit suicide during that period. They had implemented the privatisation of public sector in accordance with the R C Chowdari Commission report. The traditional industries which provided jobs for the downtrodden sections of the society during that period completely collapsed. All social sectors had faced serious setback during the UDF rule. The education and health sectors of Kerala have always been the models for providing social justice and equity and it has received global acceptance. But they became accessible only to the elite people during the UDF rule. All the welfare pensions and other benefits were denied to the workers. The huge amount of debt incurred during the five years of UDF government is more than that of the debt accumulated during the 45 years since the state was formed. Sexual harassment and atrocities increased in the state during the UDF period and underworld gangs and sex racketeers ruled the roost. Kerala was famous for communal harmony. But communal clashes spread during the UDF rule.

The present LDF government has taken a number of measures to give relief to the people and to reverse the UDF policies. The results of these measures have been clearly seen in different spheres. The LDF government has introduced an agricultural debt relief bill and implemented which can be a model for the whole of India. Similarly the LDF government implemented a food security programme which enables to increase food production and attain self sufficiency. It is Kerala which gives the highest support price for paddy in India. By all these programmes and interferences we could make Kerala a state free of farmer suicides.

Our public sector units were incurring a huge loss of Rs 70 crore during the UDF rule. But now they have been converted into profit making units and they are contributing more than Rs 100 crore to the state treasury. The traditional industries have been strengthened by reintroducing rebate system and liberal assistance from the government. Revival package programme was implemented in Hanveev and Hantex. A 25 per cent wage increase was given to Khadi employees. A commission was appointed under the chairmanship of Anathalavattom Ananthan to study the condition of coir industry and to recommend the steps to be taken to revive that industry. The committee has recommended a comprehensive programme. The government has taken necessary steps to implement that report.

All these steps have strengthened the traditional industry sector. The LDF government has implemented a debt relief programme for the fishermen community and another programme was started to give them houses and house sites. These steps have given great relief to that community.

The government has also implemented several programmes in the new developmental sectors. Kerala secured national award for the best tourism state along with the best tourism board. Infopark was expanded so as to provide 40,000 extra jobs to job seekers. The LDF government has taken steps to establish IT parks at all district centres.

The death toll due to communal clashes in the state during the UDF regime was alarming. But Kerala today has become a state which is free of such communal clashes and deaths. The LDF government has maintained a peaceful atmosphere through out the state by controlling the goonda gangs, sex racketeers, thieves etc.

The UDF government had followed policies that heaped economic crisis on the shoulders of the common man. But the LDF government reversed those policies and has taken steps to increase the benefits for the common people. The revenue deficit during the last months of the UDF regime was 3.43 per cent. The LDF government reduced it to 2.4 per cent. Similarly the tax collection could be increased up to 22 per cent from the 17 per cent during the previous regime.

The LDF government has implemented steps to take over encroached land, which are in the possession of institutions and private individuals. It has taken steps in the educational field to protect social justice and quality education. The allocation for general education was increased from Rs 56 crore to Rs 101 crore. The result of these steps can be seen in the increasing percentage of students who have passed the examinations. The government has taken several steps to protect the health sector. Medical Service Corporation was constituted to control the soaring drug prices and to eradicate corruption in the field.

The minimum wages for unorganised workers were revised. Welfare fund and programmes were introduced at shop and establishment sector where lakhs of workers are working. Welfare schemes were introduced for non-resident Indians and the LDF government has made progress in the expenditure of the funds allocated for schemes for development of SC & ST communities. The ban imposed by the previous regime on fresh recruitment in government was revoked. It has evolved a policy for women while implementing steps as per the recommendations of Sachar Committee Report to improve the conditions of Muslim community. It has taken steps to strengthen the public distribution system even as the central government tries to dismantle it.

The LDF government has taken steps to produce an excess of 500 MW electricity while proceeding towards the target of producing 3000 MW electricity with in the next 10 years. The government has strengthened the core infrastructural facilities through the programmes such as Kannur Airport, port development, metro-rail scheme of Kochi and coastal highway. It has also strengthened the decentralisation process. It had taken steps to improve the cooperative sector so as to make it helpful to common people. It had put a stop to forest destruction. The government strived to protect the interests of Kerala state in the interstate river water disputes.

The state government has prepared a detailed programme to protect the Kerala economy from the ongoing global economic crisis. Steps had been taken to implement a stimulus package of Rs 10,000 crore. Moreover important steps had been taken to protect the people who may be worst affected by the global crisis. One kg ration rice for two rupees to all families below the poverty line, rice for Rs 14 from the Maveli store etc are some of those measures. The UDF government had not distributed welfare pensions and the arrears kept accumulating. But the LDF government cleared all arrears and increased welfare pension to Rs 250 per month from Rs 110 per month during the UDF government. The LDF government introduced a scheme to distribute old age allowances to all people above 65 years coming under below poverty line. It is writing off the interest amounts and fines on all debts taken by people belonging to SC and ST communities and converted Christians. The loan amounts up to Rs 25000 due from these sections were also written off.

Overall, the LDF state government is marching forward protecting all  sections of society. It expects more cooperation from the people. We request the people to recognise the faulty propaganda unleashed against the government.

(The writer is convenor of LDF)

2009 Lok Sabha Elections

Performance of CPI(M) Candidates in Kerala, Tripura & West Bengal