Kerala CM plays down LDF defeat in bypolls

Playing down the rout suffered by ruling LDF in the bypolls to three assembly constituencies, Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan today said the UDF victory should be seen in the context of the Lok Sabha election outcome, in which the Congress-led front swept the polls.

"The victory of the Congress should be viewed in this context (of Lok Sabha poll outcome)," he told reporters here.

In the May Lok Sabha polls, UDF had bagged 16 of the 20 seats in Kerala.

The chief minister said the UDF could not perform at the same level in these areas, as it did in the Lok Sabha polls.

The three segments — Kannur, Alappuzha and Ernakulam — where by-polls were held were sitting seats of the Congress, which they had won even during the LDF wave in the last assembly elections, he said.

He, however, maintained that LDF had marginally improved its performance in these constituencies this time and would take further steps to increase people's support.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy said the result was a vote against the "anti-people" policies of the LDF government. "The LDF cannot come out with any justification for the setback they suffered," he said.

Chandy also thanked the people for their overwhelming support for the UDF.