Most people agree that prior to 2016, the UDF government led by Oommen Chandy was doing exceptionally well as a welfare government for the overall development of the state and the people. But mainly on account of the solar scam, the disunity in the party and the inability of the leadership to tackle firmly the insubordination of many Congress and UDF leaders, the UDF had to lose the mandate. This was one of the factors that helped the easy victory of LDF in 2016.
Though the LDF secured a comfortable majority then, many people who voted for the front did so seeing the face of V S Achuthanandan, the veteran mass communist leader. But after the elections, before assuming office, Pinarayi Vijayan could smartly keep him aside without doing any harm to the government by offering him a suitable post without any work!
Though the Pinarayi government succeeded in concealing the scams, corruptions and its failures for some years and being termed as one of the best governments in India, following the recent exposures of very serious crimes of gold smuggling for terrorists (that were being carried out for years) in which some 'top' leaders and high officials including the principle secretary is involved, the image of the government plunged down sharply and the 'true colour' of the LDF government became visible to everyone.
Moreover as a result of 'back-door' appointments to various government departments in Kerala by the CPI(M) leaders and politicians, the PSC rank holders who were eligible for government jobs were denied their rightful opportunities. This huge job scam in the Kerala PSC has distanced even many active loyal communist youth from their party.
At this juncture, it is expected that the enquiries being conducted by central government departments like the NIA, customs etc will unearth more grave corruptions of the government and this will affect adversely very much the future of the LDF government in Kerala.
There is a strong feeling in the people (including UDF sympathisers) that even though the past four plus years of LDF's rule in Kerala was a big failure in all aspects, the opposition could not do anything effectively. There are some people who think that even the opposition leader Ramesh chennithala's mouth was forcefully shut (owing to his own corruptions) by the chief minister pinarayi vijayan who uses the government departments in Kerala to take revenge on his enemies by playing blackmailing politics.
At a time when the political scenario is very uncertain, there is another 'non-political' group that is emerging as a very powerful people's movement. It is the 'One India One Pension' movement. It is expected that the OIOP movement will also become a major deciding part in the next elections. As that organization is just a non-political trust, they need a strong, experienced, independent leader who is not corrupt and capable to implement boldly revolutionary schemes such as 'OIOP' which is obviously opposed by a minority of government employees and politicians who are enjoying a lion share of Kerala's economy.
Many people in Kerala are of the opinion that Poonjar's MLA P C George, who proved his mettle, acceptance and popularity in the previous election by fighting all the three powerful political fronts in Kerala and securing a thumping and stunning victory, is the most eligible leader to become the next CM of Kerala. Moreover he is the first person to back OIOP idea and is acting as a determined champion of social and economic equality.
