"The Left's re-emergence as a significant force at the Centre, with the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha since Independence, owes a lot to its consistent campaign against communalism and neo-liberal economic policies."
The Left won 9 more seats in Kerala. As the Frontline report "A red-wash in the South" at http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2111/stories/20040604006302600.htm states:
"Significantly, (from preliminary figures) the ruling UDF's vote share dropped nearly eight percentage points and the Congress(I) lost over 12 lakh votes, when seen in the light of the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. In contrast, the LDF's vote share increased only by about 2.5 percentage points. The NDA gained nearly 5.5 percentage points in its vote share. The BJP has continued to exhibit the trend of incremental increase in its vote share in Kerala, winning over 18.23 lakh votes in the State"
I wouldn't be surprised to this swing is reversed in the next election in Kerala. Such reversals are normal in Kerala politics.
All India vote share of the Left Front has gone up from 8% to 8.3% and the vote shares of Congress + allies and BJP + allies are 35.82% and 35.91 respectively. See "Alliances did the trick for Congress" at http://www.hindu.com/elections2004/verdict2004/stories/2004052000340700.htm
While the departure of BJP is to be welcomed, the secular parties need to consolidate and expand mass base and keep their alliance in tact, if the BJP is to be permanently defeated.
Ulhas