File Photo: Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy
A beaming Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy of the Congress said his party's victory in the Aruvikkara by-election today clearly indicates that the United Democratic Front or UDF that it leads will return to power in next year's assembly elections.
Mr Chandy said the victory was a "huge lesson" for the rival LDF - a coalition of Left parties - which he accused of indulging in negative politics. "The people's thumping support for UDF is a response to LDF's false corruption allegations against the UDF," he said.
Mr Chandy also saw in his party's win, an endorsement of his "zero-alcohol policy."
The 71-year-old chief minister has struggled to impose the new alcohol policy, which bans all bars except those in 21 five-star hotels from serving hard liquor. Lower starred hotels can only sell wine and beer and the supplies to government-run outlets will be cut by 10 per cent annually, he has decided in a massive step for a state that has earned nearly Rs 8,000 crore every year from the sale of alcohol.
Kerala as per Oomen Chandy's plans, aims to be a zero-alcohol state in 10 years. The state government has hiked excise duty on liquor to offset revenue losses.
The ban on bars from serving alcohol was challenged in court and earlier this year, the Kerala High Court upheld it, saying the no-liquor policy is in line with the spirit of the Indian Constitution.
Kerala has for many years enjoyed the dubious distinction of being the most hard drinking state in India and the Congress has its eye firmly set on women voters relieved at the liquor ban.
Today's by-election, won by the Congress' K S Sabarinadhan, was seen as a crucial test of popularity by the rival fronts and also the BJP, in civic elections due at the end of this year and the assembly elections next year.
Mr Sabarinadhan, 31, is the son of former Kerala Speaker G Karthikeyan, whose death in February necessitated the by-election. The Congress-led UDF government has a razor-thin majority in the Kerala assembly.
For many years, the state has alternately elected the UDF and the LDF.