Thiruvanthapuram, May 16
Inflicting a crushing blow to the ruling CPM-led LDF in Kerala, a resurgent Congress-led UDF bagged 16 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in a virtual reversal of the 2004 verdict.

The CPM barely managed to hold on to its traditional fortresses like Palakkad, Alathur, Kasargode and Attingal. Effacing the 2004 ignominy, the Congress captured 13 of the 17 seats it contested while its partners - the IUML and the Kerala Congress (M) - won two and one seat, respectively. The biggest loser of the day was the CPI which lost all four seats it contested.

Prominent UDF winners from the state included former UN Undersecretary General Shashi Tharoor, former Union Minister Mullapally Ramachandran and Union Minister and IUML chief E Ahamed.

Kerala proved to be a barren land for the BJP as the saffron party got much less votes than they garnered in 2004. The BSP and the NCP also came a cropper in the state where the electoral scene was dominated by the UDF and the LDF.

The left rout in Kerala was largely attributed to prolonged feud between two factions in the CPM led by Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and the infighting among front partners before the poll are seen to have contributed to the LDF debacle.

The results are also seen as rejection of the strategic tie-up forged by the CPM with PDP led by Abdul Nasser Madani who was accused of having links with extremist outfits.

Also, the ouster of the long-term ally Janata Dal (S) from the LDF over seat sharing appeared to have cost the LDF dearly, especially in the northern districts where the CPM lost its bastion Vatakara.

Three sitting Congress MLAs - K Sudhakaran in Kannur, KV Thomas in Ernakulam and KC Venugopal in Alappuzha - also romped home. — PTI