LDF ready for local polls with unity: T P Ramakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) will contest the upcoming local body elections with strong unity, and organisational preparations are nearly complete, said LDF Convener T P Ramakrishnan. Discussions on seat allocation are currently in progress. The Front will engage in coordinated campaign activities and address people’s real-life issues in a meaningful way, he added.

Highlighting the Left’s contribution to Kerala’s progress, Ramakrishnan said that the state’s achievements owe much to the Left movement, which has always stood for inclusiveness. Kerala was recently declared a state free from extreme poverty, the first in India’s history. The next goal, he said, is to eliminate poverty entirely. The key focus is to increase the income of every household, and the government has adopted supportive policies to achieve this.

“The Front will make significant advances,” Ramakrishnan continued. “It was during the pandemic that the government decided to ensure pension payments directly reached every beneficiary. There are no arrears pending now. From November, all eligible beneficiaries will receive their due welfare payments. Awareness will be created among all those eligible for various benefits.”

He added that a series of marches and public meetings will be held on November 10 as part of the LDF campaign. “We will reach out to households to understand their concerns and explain the provisions of the Single Settlement Protection Act,” he said.

Commenting on the State Inhabitants Register (SIR), Ramakrishnan noted that all parties except the BJP had expressed opposition. “In Bihar, 6.5 million people were excluded. Such a measure is unnecessary in Kerala. Only those who arrived before 2002–2004 have voting rights under this policy, which is unfair to many. The case is still pending, yet the Election Commission seems unable to wait for its outcome and continues to act as a tool of the BJP,” he said.

Ramakrishnan urged the Commission to review its decision, emphasising that implementing the measure in Kerala is impractical.