In an interaction with this newspaper after the Kerala election result came in, V D Satheesan spoke of the Congress-led UDF’s transformation from a “confederation of various political parties” into a “broader political platform” that included diverse social groups and even “Left fellow travellers”. What brought these disparate elements together on the victory podium? A major factor, Satheesan acknowledged, was anti-incumbency against the 10-year-old LDF government, with Pinarayi Vijayan’s centralising style having turned him into a lightning rod for gathering discontent. Now, the question before the UDF is — can it convert a verdict driven by anti-incumbency into a mandate for its own........

© Indian Express