Decisive victory for LDF; tough decisions await CPM

The LDF is sure to get somewhere between 85-90 seats out of the 140 constituencies, as the counting enters the final stage. 

The CPM leader and former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has already declared that people of Kerala has given their verdict against corruption.

Interestingly, all the strong candidates of the LDF have emerged victorious. VS Achuthandan and CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan have ensured thumping victory.

Though the CPM would be happy that it could win a comfortable majority in the state, it would not be that easy for it to solve the longstanding problems between Achuthanandan and Vijayan whose rivalry is no secret. Both leaders have buried the hatchet before the elections and party showed an unprecedented unity in recent times. 

Communist veteran Achuthanandan is  the tallest and the most popular figure in the CPM. But Pinarayi Vijayan, the strong man from Kannur, has the support of the party machinery and the state committee. The candidature of both leaders had created confusion among the party workers and the party shied away from declaring its Chief Minister candidate.

A delegation of the party central leadership, including General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and S Ramachandran Pillai will come to Kerala on Friday to monitor inner-party negotiations. The question is how the leadership will find an acceptable formula to accommodate both Achuthanandan and Vijayan and form a balanced ministry. 

Incidentally, a petition to reopen the SNC Lavalin case in which Vijayan was allegedly involved, has been filed before the court on Wednesday. There are strong doubts that the case would again come to the fore if Vijayan is tipped for the CM post. 

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