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Congress, Lefties to fight it out in Kerala

After rather mediocre success in the first five general elections, the Congress in Kerala put its mark on four of the last six polls. Of the state's 20 seats, the party secured 11 seats in 1977, 13 in 1984, 14 in 1989 and, again, 13 five years ago.

The only time the Congress conceded the lead during its incredible run was in 1980 when the Communist Party of India-Marxist got six seats to its five. And in the last poll, held a couple of years ago, although it did not concede a lead, the party bagged seven seats to the CPI-M's five.

To the Communist Party of India and the CPI-M goes the distinction of bagging most seats from the state in the pre-Emergency era. Both claimed nine seats each in 1957 and 1967. Since then the Left parties have not done well here, with 1980 and 1996 as exceptions.

With no party getting an absolute majority in Kerala during the last poll, a keen battle is in store this time.

Details of Lok Sabha results in Kerala:

NOTE: The state was known as Travancore-Cochin till 1956.

Cong = Congress, RSP = Revolutionary Socialist Party, PSP = Praja Socialist Party, CPI = Communist Party of India, MUL = Muslim League, JD = Janata Dal, CPI-M = Communist Party of India-Marxist, KG = Kerala Congress, ICSS = Congress-Socialist, SJP = Samajwadi Janata Party, KCM = Kerala Congress-M, Indp = Independents.

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