KOCHI: The Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church, through the latest editorial in its ‘Sathyadeepam’ weekly, criticised the UDF scathingly for its failure in the recent local body elections despite having a favourable situation.While stating that the UDF-Welfare Party alliance affected the secular image of Congress adversely and led to the loss of traditional Christian votes in central and north Kerala, the editorial article highlighted the political concerns of the Christian minority in the state, which would be critical in the next elections.
The article, however, objected to the reading among a section that the Christians in central Kerala voted for LDF after the Jose K Mani faction of Kerala Congress (M) migrated to it. “Even the Left front would not agree that the change in voting pattern among the Christian minority groups is due to the Jose faction changing loyalties,” the article said.
As the Church leadership raised issues of ‘Love Jihad’ and the disproportionate allocation of minority funds (in the ratio of 80:20), UDF joining hands with the Welfare Party raised eyebrows among the Christians in central and northern Kerala. “These issues have definitely contributed to the loss of faith among the traditional Christian vote bank of UDF in these areas,” it said.
Though LDF itself had, in the 2015 elections, entered into similar a tie-up with the Welfare Party, the Left propaganda that the Congress surrendered to the Muslim League was believed by a section of Christians. “With P K Kunhalikutty returning to the state politics, the overwhelming influence of the League in UDF’s political scheme of things cannot be discounted. Which front is able to address the Christian minorities’ political insecurity will be crucial in the next assembly elections,” it said.
The BJP’s growing influence among the community leaders with the prime minister himself mediating in the Jacobite-Orthodox feud is an area of concern for LDF and UDF. However, the display of ‘Jai Sree Ram’ banner at the Palakkad corporation building exposed that party’s communal bias and lack of commitment to secular ideals, it said.It is noteworthy that parties that focused entirely on infrastructure development like Twenty20 have reaped rich dividends in the local body poll, the article noted.