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The HinduMay 3, 2026

​Primary league: On the Congress, UDF, 2026 Kerala Assembly elections

Congress in Kerala has been counting its chickens before they hatch. For several weeks, senior leaders have been positioning for the Chief Minister’s post, assuming that the

United Democratic Front (UDF) would win the Assembly elections on May 4. Just as the party sought to put a lid on the unseemly public display of personal ambition, its most important ally muddied the waters. Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, State president of the

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), publicly backed V.D. Satheesan for Chief Minister, citing exit polls of dubious authority, and urging the Congress’s central leadership to let public sentiment guide the choice. The blowback was immediate. Sectarian leaders who have been whipping up anti-Muslim sentiment were quick to claim that the Congress and the UDF were in the IUML’s stranglehold. The charge has a history to feed on. The IUML’s maximalist demands for seats, cabinet berths and portfolios have contributed to that impression, and are at least partly linked to rising tensions between the Muslim community on the one side and Hindus and Christians on the other — a realignment that has proved beneficial for the BJP. The UDF may have barely stalled the disintegration of its social base in this election, if at all. The IUML’s public posturing is a stinging reminder of what to avoid if the Front is to remain viable in the face of rapid social change.

The conventions of Kerala’s coalition politics are clear and have held for decades. A single party rarely wins an absolute majority; the partners of a Front collectively win those numbers. The leading party — Congress in the UDF, CPI-M in the

Left Democratic Front

— elects its legislature party leader, who is then accepted by the Front as Chief Minister. There is no record of that decorum being broken by any junior partner in either Front. Neither Front contested this election with a declared chief ministerial candidate; even the sitting Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, was not named as the LDF’s CM candidate. In both Fronts, the Chief Minister has emerged through a two-step process involving newly elected MLAs and the central leadership of the party concerned. In the UDF and LDF, popular leaders have often missed the top post simply because there are always multiple contenders but only one post. The IUML would serve itself, the culture of coalition politics and the social fabric of Kerala far better by respecting that decorum. The Congress high command, for its part, must demonstrate that manoeuvres that embarrass the party carry a cost, not a reward.

Key GK Takeaways for CLAT
  • 1The article highlights the delicate balance in coalition governance, where established conventions often dictate the Chief Minister's selection process, involving the legislature party and central leadership. This aligns with India's parliamentary system, where the Governor, under Article 164, appoints the Chief Minister who commands the majority support in the Legislative Assembly. The premature declaration of a CM candidate by an ally, as seen with the IUML, undermines this decorum and can destabilize the coalition, impacting effective governance and the spirit of federalism.
  • 2This editorial primarily focuses on internal state-level coalition dynamics and does not directly address international relations, foreign policy, or geopolitics. However, stable governance, which is challenged by internal party discord and coalition friction as described, is crucial for a state's overall development and its capacity to engage globally. Political stability is often a prerequisite for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and fostering international partnerships, as evidenced by India's active participation in multilateral forums like the G20.
  • 3The article underscores the importance of unwritten conventions in coalition politics, which, while not codified laws, are vital for maintaining political stability and decorum. While individual party members enjoy freedom of speech, as enshrined in Article 19(1)(a), their public statements, especially by allies, can violate party discipline and coalition agreements. Such actions, like the IUML's premature endorsement, can disrupt the policy-making process and potentially lead to legal challenges concerning government formation or stability, though the anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule) primarily applies to legislators changing parties.
  • 4The article highlights a concerning social realignment in Kerala, where rising tensions between religious communities—Muslims versus Hindus and Christians—are being exploited for political gain, benefiting parties like the BJP. This communal polarization undermines India's constitutional commitment to secularism, as outlined in the Preamble, and can have severe socio-economic repercussions. Such divisions often divert focus from critical development issues, potentially leading to social unrest, impacting economic growth, and hindering the implementation of inclusive social welfare policies.

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