Left Democratic Front (Kerala)
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) is an alliance of left-wing political parties in the state of Kerala, India. It is one of the two major political alliances in Kerala, the other being Congress-led UDF, each of which has been in power alternately for the last four decades. LDF won the May 2016 election and is currently in power. The alliance consists of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Indian National League, Kerala Congress (M), and a variety of other smaller parties.
Left Democratic Front | |
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Abbreviation | LDF |
Leader | Pinarayi Vijayan |
Founder | E. M. S. Namboodiripad P. K. Vasudevan Nair |
Founded | 1979 |
Headquarters | AKG Centre, Thiruvananthapuram |
Ideology | Big tent Factions: Communism[1] Liberalism[2] Secularism Socialism[3] |
Seats in Lok Sabha | 2 / 20 |
Seats in Rajya Sabha | 6 / 9 |
Seats in Kerala Legislative Assembly | 93 / 140 |
Website | |
ldfkeralam | |
In the legislative assembly of 2006 to 2011, the LDF controlled a majority of 98 out of 140 seats in the state legislative assembly. CPI(M) leader V. S. Achuthanandan led the LDF government in Kerala following the 2006 Assembly Election.[4] In the 2011 Kerala legislative assembly election, LDF lost to UDF but managed to gain 68 out of the 140 seats. V. S. Achuthanandan was thereafter elected the leader of the opposition.[5] In the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the LDF won, gaining a majority of 91 out of 140 seats.
The parties in the alliance and their representation in Kerala Legislative Assembly post 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election are as follows:
No. | Party | Current No. of MLAs in Assembly |
---|---|---|
1 | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 58 |
2 | Communist Party of India | 19 |
3 | Janata Dal (Secular) | 3 |
4 | Kerala Congress (M) | 2 |
5 | Congress (Secular) | 1 |
6 | Indian National League | 1 |
7 | Kerala Congress (B) | 1 |
8 | Loktantrik Janata Dal | 0 |
9 | Janadhipathya Kerala Congress | 0 |
10 | Kerala Congress (Skaria Thomas) | 0 |
11 | Nationalist Congress Party | 2 |
# | Independent | 4 |
TOTAL | 91 |
History
The history of LDF goes back to the Seven Party Front formed in 1967, which was an alliance of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian Union Muslim League, Communist Party of India, Samyuktha Socialist Party, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Karshaka Thozhilali Party, and Kerala Socialist Party.[6]
Current members
List of LDF MLAs in the Kerala Niyamasabha
![](../I/Advertisement_and_slogan_of_LDF_in_2016_Kerala_Legislative_Assembly_Election.jpg.webp)
The LDF is the ruling alliance in Kerala which has 91 seats out of the 140 in the Kerala Niyamasabha. The following list shows the MLAs belonging to LDF in the Niyamasabha.
Key
CPI (M) CPI JD(S) NCP Cong(S) KC(B) RSP(L) INL Independent
2020 Kerala local body elections
Elections to local bodies (Panchayats, Municipalities and Corporations) in Kerala were held in December 2020.[2] The polling was held in three stages; on 8, 10 and 14 December, with the votes being counted on 16 December. LDF registered a sweeping victory in the local body election. LDF won 514/941 Gram Panchayats; 108/152 Block Panchayats; 10/14 District Panchayats; 35/86 Municipalities and 3/6 Corporations. Also won 7623/15962 Gram Panchayats wards; 1088/2076 Block Panchayats wards; 170/331 District Panchayats wards; 1263/3122 Municipal wards and 196/414 Corporation wards.
Political activism
On 2 October 2009, more than 300,000 activists of CPI(M) formed a 500 km long human chain to protest the free trade agreement signed between India and Association of South East Asian Nations.[7]
On 7 December 2011, the LDF organized a 208 km human wall demanding the construction of a new dam in place of the present 115-year leaky dam at Mullapperiyar. The human wall was the second-longest of the kind in Kerala which stretched across two districts.[7]
LDF launched its website ahead of 2011 Kerala Assembly Election.[8]
See also
References
- Chakrabarty, Bidyut (2014). Communism in India: Events, Processes and Ideologies. Oxford University Press. p. 314. ISBN 978-0-199-97489-4.
- Jha, Giridhar (25 November 2019). "Maharashtra Govt Formation: BJP's Return Into Ring Makes Scene Murkier". Outlook. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
- "Loktantrik Janata Dal with Sharad Yadav as mentor to be formally launched on May 18". The Financial Express. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- Sreejan, B. (10 May 2011). "Kerala exit polls today, close contest predicted". The Express News Service. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- "Achuthanandan elected leader of CPI-M; will head LDF opposition in Kerala". Rediff.com. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- Koshi, Luke; Balan, Saritha S. (19 June 2017). "Kerala Chronicles: When a Coalition of Seven Political Parties Came Together Only to Fall Apart". The News Minute.
- "208-km human chain formed for new Kerala dam". Hindustan Times.
- Nair, N.J. (18 March 2011). "Assembly polls log on to cyberspace". The Hindu. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
External links
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