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Resource crunch casts shadow on Kerala polls

Closure of bars and the recession in the Middle East following steady decline in the crude oil price have cast a shadow over the forthcoming assembly polls in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Bar owners and Non-Resident Indian (NRI) businessmen have been the major source of funds for the political parties in Kerala. The bar owners are citing massive loss they have suffered in the wake of closure of bars below five-star category as part of Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government's decision to introduce phased- prohibition in the state when parties approach them for funds.
Though the government allowed the bar hotel owners to convert their bars into beer and wine parlours, majority of these outlets are running in loss. The association of bar hotel owners, which had allegedly collected about Rs250 million to pay bribes to politicians for getting the bars reopened, are not in a position to ask the members to chip in more money unless they get firm commitment that the bars will be reopened. There were allegations that the bar owners had offered Rs100 million to Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) to facilitate the reopening of bars by dislodging the UDF government.
Though senior LDF leaders had earlier given hints about reviewing the liquor policy, they are keeping mum now.The opposition is apparently not in a position to give a firm commitment about reopening of the bars before the polls as they fear it would affect their prospects. The prohibitionists have already been demanding a commitment from the opposition regarding their stand on prohibition. Though senior LDF leaders have reiterated that abstention is their policy, the bar owners think that the Left front may stick to the policy considering the support it has received from a large section of people, especially the women. More-over, the policy has also been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Apart from bar owners, Gulf money was another major source of funds for the political parties in the state. Almost all parties used to send delegations to the Gulf countries as part of the funds collection drive be-fore elections in the past.
None of the parties have sent such delegation this time as they have realized the crisis. The parties also fear that the crisis may force NRIs who have registered their names in the voters' list may not come to cast their votes. The NRIs had shown interest in the election hoping that a mechanism for casting their votes from their foreign locations would come in place before the polls.

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