No anti-incumbency wave against LDF govt, 110-seat target within reach: Kerala minister P A Mohamed Riyas

Kozhikode: PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas said that there is no anti-incumbency wave against the LDF govt and that the assessment made at a special cabinet meeting held on Wednesday — that the front could win up to 110 seats in the upcoming assembly elections — is well within reach. Addressing reporters in Kozhikode on Thursday, Riyas said that had there been an anti-incumbency factor, the situation would have been far more adverse. He added that even the results of the local body elections indicate that the UDF has failed to secure any significant lead. "The special cabinet meeting assessed that, in addition to the seats currently held and those that can be wrested from the UDF, the LDF is capable of securing as many as 110 seats," he said. Riyas also said it would be incorrect to assume that there was no public appreciation for the govt's development and welfare initiatives. "What needs to be examined is whether there have been shortcomings in effectively communicating the govt's achievements to the people. If this is addressed using methods suited to the present times, there will be a significant electoral gain," he said. The minister said the LDF's vote base remained strong, noting that even the front's minimum seat count in the past had been 68. He added that voting patterns in assembly elections favour the LDF, as people prefer a state free of communal polarisation, communal clashes and corruption.