On 1st April 2024, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), affiliated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), announced its endorsement of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Kerala.
Ashraf Moulavi, the state president of SDPI Kerala, declared that they have opted not to field any candidates in Kerala. Nevertheless, nationally, 18 SDPI candidates are participating in the elections. This decision aligns with the Congress-led I.N.D.I alliance at the national level. Moulavi clarified that the party’s Kerala unit has not yet determined whether to actively campaign for UDF candidates or formalize any agreement with the UDF.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, SDPI contested in all 20 Kerala constituencies, garnering votes ranging from 3,513 in Kottayam to 47,853 in Malappuram. However, in 2019, they contested only 10 constituencies. Moulavi highlighted a growth in both the number of branches and votes over the past decade, which he believes will bolster the alliance. He emphasized that the Congress party’s stance on issues such as implementing a caste census and defending constitutional values and secularism against challenges during BJP rule influenced their decision.
MM Hassan, the interim president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), responded to SDPI’s support for the UDF by stating that he lacks prior knowledge of the move and that the party will need to deliberate on it. He stressed the importance of internal discussions before accepting support from any party.
Moulavi further clarified that neither the Congress nor the UDF in Kerala has formally reached out to SDPI. However, candidates from various parties have approached them. He reiterated that the party’s primary focus is on its growth, and decisions are being made with that objective in mind.
The recent announcement that the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned terror outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), will be supporting the @INCKerala-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is not just shameful, but also deeply… pic.twitter.com/XuvdrOvQAL
— Pratheesh Viswanath (@pratheesh_Hind) April 1, 2024
(with inputs from TNIE)
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