- K. Karunakaran (1981 – 82, 1982 – 1987, 1991 – 95)
- A. K. Antony (1995 – 96, 2001 – 04)
- Oommen Chandy (2004 – 06, 2011 – 16)
United Democratic Front | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | UDF |
Chairperson | V. D. Satheesan |
Founder | K. Karunakaran |
Founded | 1979 |
Headquarters | "Indira Bhavan", Vellayambalam, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala |
Ideology | Big tent Factions |
Political position | Centre [5] to Centre-right [6] |
Alliance | I.N.D.I.A |
Seats in Lok Sabha | 18 / 20 (Kerala) |
Seats in Rajya Sabha | 2 / 9 (Kerala) |
Seats in Kerala Legislative Assembly | 41 / 140 |
The United Democratic Front (UDF) is the Indian National Congress-led alliance of centre to centre-right political parties in the Indian state of Kerala. [5] It is one of the two major political alliances in Kerala, the other being Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front, each of which has been in power alternately since 1980 E. K. Nayanar ministry. [7] Most of the United Democratic Front constituents are members of the Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at pan-India level.
United Democratic Front was created by the Indian National Congress (then known as Congress-Indira) party leader K. Karunakaran in 1979, as a successor to the existing Congress-led alliance. [8] The alliance first came to power in 1981 (K. Karunakaran ministry) and has won elections to the state legislature of Kerala in the years 1982 (Karunakaran ministry), [9] 1991 (Karunakaran and A. K. Antony ministries), [10] 2001 (Antony and Oommen Chandy ministries), [11] and 2011 (Oommen Chandy ministry). [12] The alliance currently acts as the opposition in the state legislature of Kerala (after the 2021 legislative assembly election). United Democratic Front leaders V. D. Satheesan and K. Sudhakaran currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President respectively. [13]
The alliance currently consists of Indian National Congress, Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Jacob), Revolutionary Socialist Party and a variety of other smaller parties. The alliance follows big tent policy and includes a variety political parties. [1]
Party | Abbr. | Flag | MPs in Lok Sabha | MPs in Rajya Sabha | MLA in state legislature | Base state | Kerala leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | Indian National Congress | INC | 53 | 31 | 21 | National Party | K. Sudhakaran | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Indian Union Muslim League | IUML | 03 | 01 | 15 | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | P. K. Kunhalikutty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Kerala Congress | KEC | 00 | 00 | 02 | Kerala | P. J. Joseph | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Kerala Congress (Jacob) | KEC(J) | 00 | 00 | 01 | Kerala | Anoop Jacob | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Kerala Democratic Party | KDP | 00 | 00 | 01 | Kerala | Mani C. Kappan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Revolutionary Socialist Party | RSP | 01 | 00 | 00 | Kerala | Shibu Baby John | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Revolutionary Marxist Party of India | RMPI | 00 | 00 | 01 | Kerala | K. K. Rema | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Communist Marxist Party | CMP | 00 | 00 | 00 | Kerala | C. P. John | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | National Janata Dal | NJD | 00 | 00 | 00 | Kerala | Adv John John | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Janathipathiya Samrakshana Samithy | JSS | 00 | 00 | 00 | Kerala | Rajan Babu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | All India Forward Bloc | AIFB | 00 | 00 | 00 | West Bengal | T. Manoj Kumar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HistoryAntecedentsPrecursors to the United Democratic Front were,
United Democratic Front (1979 – present)The United Democratic Front (UDF) was formed just before 1980 assembly election. In elections, the Front was defeated by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front. However, the fall of the first Left Democratic Front ministry resulted in the 6th President's Rule in Kerala (1981). United Democratic Front first came into power in Kerala in 1981 under K. Karunakaran. [9] It led the Government of Kerala in 1982–87 (K. Karunakaran), 1991–96 (K. Karunakaran and A. K. Antony), 2001–06 (A. K. Antony and Oommen Chandy), and 2011–16 (Oommen Chandy). The alliance currently serves as the opposition in the Kerala Assembly.
Chief MinistersPre-United Democratic Front Chief Ministers (1956 – 1979)
United Democratic Front Chief Ministers (1981 – present)United Democratic Front Chief Ministers
List of United Democratic Front Chief Ministers by length of term
Leaders of Opposition (U. D. F)
United Democratic Front Conveners
LegacyK. KarunakaranThe Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, was established by bifurcating University of Kerala during the period of 3rd Karunakaran ministry (1982 - 87). It was during the second U. D. F. government (Third Karunakaran ministry), that the last two districts of Kerala, namely Pathanamthitta and Kasaragod, were inaugurated, raising the total number of districts in Kerala to fourteen. [25] During his third tenure as Chief Minister (1982–87), Karunakaran directly handled the Scheduled Castes Development. [25] Kerala State Film Development Corporation was also introduced during the tenure of Karunakaran. [25] Chief Minister Karunakaran was instrumental in several infrastructure projects in Kerala which includes the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, [26] and the Cochin International Airport, both of which were sanctioned during his 1991-95 stint as the Chief Minister. [27] Vallarpadam Terminal, which later became the first transshipment terminal in India was other key project coined during the administration of Karunakaran. [28] Other major infrastructure projects introduced during the terms of Karunakaran include the Goshree Bridges of Kochi, Guruvayur Railway Line, and Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant at Kayamkulam. [25] The first phase of Kollam Bypass was completed in 1993.[ citation needed ] A. K. AntonyAntony administration was instrumental in the establishment of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology at Thiruvananthapuram. [29] The InfoPark at Kochi was established in the year 2004. [30] It was also under his administration that the Kannur University was created by bifurcating the University of Calicut. The University of Sanskrit was inaugurated in 1994. [31] The Indian Institute of Management and the National Institute of Technology at Kozhikode were established in the years 1996 and 2002 respectively. [32] The Akshaya Project was implemented in 2002 to expand digital literacy in Kerala. [33] During his tenure as Chief Minister, A. K. Antony introduced the Unemployment Allowance, Festival Allowance for the Kerala state employees. [34] During his tenure as Chief Minister, A. K. Antony introduced the prohibition of arrack in Kerala. [34] It was at Chief Minister Antony's behest that the decision to construct the new Kerala Legislature Complex was taken in 1977. [34] He also ordered the closure of the Kerala Coca-Cola plant in 2004 due to non-availability of drinking water in the plant area. [35] Oommen ChandyIt was also during tenure of Oommen Chandy that 12 new taluks, 28 new municipalities, and Kannur Municipal Corporation were formed. [36] [37] It was the largest taluk delimitation in the state of Kerala after 1957. [38] [36] The Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC) was formed under KSRTC in 2015 to manage affairs related to urban transportation. [39] The Chandy ministry established new Government Medical Colleges in Kerala (in 2013, after a gap of 31 years). [40] [41] The "Karunya Scheme" was implemented in the year 2011–12 for the free treatment of patients with cancer, haemophilia, kidney, and heart diseases. [42] [43] A number of organ implantation surgeries were done through the "Mruthasanjeevani Project". [44] The Second Chandy ministry had also taken the decision to prohibit liquor in Kerala by discouraging bars. [45] The number of political killings were relatively low (11) during the period 2011–16 in the state. [46]Rubber subsidy to ensure a minimum price of Rs 150/kg was implemented in 2015. [47] In 2005, Information Technology was made a compulsory subject for the school-level students. [48] Victers TV, the children's television channel on EDUSAT for schools, was inaugurated in 2005. [49] The National University of Advanced Legal Studies at Kochi was founded in 2005 and the Indian Institute of Technology at Palakkad was established in the year 2015. The universities founded in 2011–16 period include the Malayalam University at Tirur (2012) and Technological University at Thiruvananthapuram (2014). [50] [51] [52] The National Institute of Visual Science and Arts at Kottayam was inaugurated in January 2016. [53] Kerala was declared as the first complete digital state of India on 27 February 2016. [54] The Kerala Public Service Commission filled the vacant posts during 2011–16. [55] As many as 167,096 job candidates were appointed, setting a record. [55] As many as 46,223 posts were created in the same period. [55] The Phase-3 of the Technopark at Thiruvananthapuram was inaugurated in 2014. [56] The Taurus Downtown at Technopark was commenced during the period 2011–16. [56] The phase-2 of InfoPark, Kochi was inaugurated in May 2015. [57] Phase-2 of InfoPark Thrissur was completed during the same period. [58] [59] The Park Centre of Cybercity at Kozhikode was formally opened by IT Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty on 15 February 2014. [60] [61] UL Cyberpark at Kozhikode was inaugurated in January 2016. [62] Chandy's regime was instrumental in beginning the construction of the Smart City Project. [63] Chandy received the United Nation's Public Service Award for his Mass Contact Programme ("Jana Samparkka Paripadi"). [64] [65] The government also sanctioned of Unemployment Allowance. [20] Social welfare pension amounts and numbers were doubled during the second Chandy ministry. [55] [44] Old-age pension amounts were also increased. [55] Other social welfare measures during Chandy reign include free ration for those who lost their employment. [65] Free rice was given to those who did not belong to Above Poverty Line (APL). [44] Food kits were distributed to the people during Onam, the Eid, and Christmas. [44] Chandy government constructed more than 400,000 houses for the homeless people in Kerala. [65] Chandy's regime was instrumental in beginning the construction of Kannur Airport, [63] [66] the Kochi Metro, [63] [67] [66] and the Vizhinjam Port near Thiruvananthapuram. [63] [66] The Kochi-Mangalore GAIL pipeline was commissioned by the second Chandy ministry in 2013. [68] In 2015, the Cochin Airport became the world's first fully solar powered airport. [69] [70] During his period, 227 road bridges worth nearly Rs 16 billion were built across Kerala. [71] [44] A number of state highways were constructed under Chandy government and the final decision to widen the national highways of the state to 45 m were taken in 2014. [72] Several "bypass" roads were also constructed. [44] Kerala Assembly Election results
Electoral history
List of elected membersState legislatureThe United Democratic Front currently has 41 members in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. The alliance currently forms the Opposition in the Assembly. Key Indian National Congress (INC) Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Kerala Congress (KEC) Kerala Congress (Jacob) (KC(J)) Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI) Kerala Democratic Party (KDP) Lok SabhaOut of the 20 Lok Sabha (House of the People) constituencies in Kerala, 19 were won by the United Democratic Front in 2019 Lok Sabha election (including Thomas Chazhikadan, Kerala Congress Mani from Kottayam). Later when the Kerala Congress Mani crossed floors to join Left Democratic Front (2020), the number of M. P.s reduced to 18. The following is the list of United Democratic Front Lok Sabha members from the state of Kerala: Key
Rajya SabhaThe following is the list of United Democratic Front Rajya Sabha members from the state of Kerala: Key
See alsoRelated Research ArticlesKannoth Karunakaran, was an Indian politician who served as the fifth chief minister of Kerala in 1977, from 1981 to March 1982, from May 1982 to 1987 and from 1991 to 1995. He is the founder of the Indian National Congress (INC)-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition, which has been the main opposition in Kerala since 2016. Arackaparambil Kurien Antony is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Defence of India from 2006 to 2014. He previously served as the 6th Chief Minister of Kerala from 1977 to 1978, 1995 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2004. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the All India Congress Committee, Congress Working Committee, and member of the Congress Core Group and Central Election Committee. Oommen Chandy was the 10th chief minister of Kerala, serving from 2004 to 2006 and 2011 to 2016. He served also as the leader of the opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011. Kerala Congress is an Indian political party founded in Kottayam, Kerala in October 1964, by a block of former Indian National Congress leaders led by K. M. George. The party is primarily active in central Kerala. Palathinal Joseph Joseph is an Indian politician from Kerala Congress serving as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from Thodupuzha Assembly Constituency in Kerala. Kerala Congress (Jacob) is a regional political party in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a faction of Kerala Congress founded by the former minister the late T. M. Jacob who has held portfolios like Education, Irrigation, Culture and Civil Supplies in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Ramesh Chennithala,, , is an Indian politician, and Working Committee Member of the Indian National Congress. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the 14th Kerala Legislative Assembly. He also served as the state Home Minister in the Government of Kerala for two years. He holds the record of the youngest minister in Kerala at the age of 28. Kerala is an Indian state, where federal legislative power is vested in the unicameral Kerala Legislative Assembly. The multilateral system has, since 1956, been dominated by the several pre-poll and post-poll alliances. K. C. Venugopal is an Indian politician who is a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha elected from Rajasthan and former member of parliament in Lower House and is a member of the Indian National Congress. He has been appointed a General Secretary of AICC and in charge of Karnataka on 29 April 2017. Later, he was given additional charge of the general secretary of the organization. He was the Minister of State for Civil Aviation & Ministry of Power in the UPA Government. The Eleventh Kerala Legislative Assembly Council of Ministers in Oommen Chandy's first ministry, was a Kerala Council of Ministers, the executive wing of Kerala state government, led by Indian National Congress leader Oommen Chandy from 31 August 2004 to 12 May 2006. The Ninth Kerala Legislative Assembly Council of Ministers in K. Karunakaran's fourth ministry, was a Kerala Council of Ministers, the executive wing of Kerala state government, led by Indian National Congress leader K. Karunakaran from 24 June 1991 to 16 March 1995. It comprised 18 ministers, all belonging to the United Democratic Front. The ministry was formed in the aftermath of the victory of the United Democratic Front in the 1991 assembly elections. P. K. Kunhalikutty is an Indian politician and social worker who is the present Member of Legislative Assembly from Vengara Assembly Constituency in Kerala. He also serves as National General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Deputy Leader of opposition in Kerala Leglative Assembly. The Palmolein Import Scam refers to the alleged irregularities in the import of palm olein by the K. Karunakaran-led United Democratic Front government of the state of Kerala, India through the Power and Energy Limited Company. The Kerala government selected Power and Energy Limited arbitrarily without inviting tenders, allegedly at an inflated price and at an excessive service charge and in violation of central and state government procedure. The United Democratic Front government led by Oommen Chandy sworn in on 18 May 2011. Seven of the total 20 members of the Cabinet took office on 18 May and the rest sworn in on 23 May after completing discussion with member parties of the UDF. United Front, known until 1971 as Mini Front (1970–1971) and as Maxi Front (1971–1979) thereafter, was a coalition of political parties in Kerala state, India, which was the ruling combine in the state from 1970 to 1979. The coalition was formed by five political parties immediately before the 1970 Kerala Legislative Assembly election. It saw the inclusion a few other parties in the following years. Kerala's major political parties are aligned under two coalitions, namely the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) since the late 1970s. Kerala was the first Indian state to have coalition government as early as 1961 . The 1991 Kerala Legislative Assembly election was held on 18 June 1991 to elect members to the Niyamasabha. The incumbent LDF government, which was in power from 1987, decided to seek a fresh mandate one year ahead of the expiry of its term. The decision was prompted by the announcement of the elections to the Lok Sabha and the Front's good showing in the elections to the local bodies held in the previous year. Elections were held on 1980 January 3 and 5 to elect members to the sixth Niyamasabha. This election saw the formation of two pre-poll alliances, viz. LDF and UDF, most of whose constituent parties were part of the erstwhile United Front. CPI(M)-led LDF to win the election, after winning 93 seats altogether. E. K. Nayanar was sworn in as the Chief Minister on 26 March 1980 Elections to local bodies in Kerala were held in two phrases, on 2 and 5 November 2015. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) won more than half of all gram panchayats and municipalities, and both they and the United Democratic Front (UDF) won majorities in seven out of fourteen district panchayats each. The LDF also won mayorship in four corporations and the UDF in two. References
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