The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday requested Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to convene the 12th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly from October 4 onwards, setting the ground for a protracted legislative duel with profound political implications for the ruling front and Opposition.The upcoming session is unique in that it convenes after the Lok Sabha elections, which dissimilarly impacted the electoral fortunes of the ruling and opposing fronts. Notably, the session foreshadows the impending byelections in the Chelakkara Assembly constituency and Wayanad Lok Sabha segment.The Lok Sabha polls also saw the BJP’s ascendancy in the State, with the party bagging the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency and dominating  11 Assembly segments. The CPI(M) had attributed the right-wing drift in backward class votes and the Congress’ alleged connivance to the BJP’s startling rise in Kerala. However, both sides are sceptical about whether the Lok Sabha results are a reliable bellwether of Kerala’s voting behaviour in future polls.The Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) have several smouldering controversies to contend with. For one, they could square off vigorously over LDF Independent legislator P.V. Anvar’s bombshell accusations of corruption and criminality against the top law enforcement.A top law enforcer’s allegedly clandestine meetings with the top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leadership, the police’s “wilful scuttling” of the Thrissur Pooram to allegedly advantage the BJP in the Thrissur constituency by stoking Hindu majoritarian resentment, and the Enforcement Directorate’s “suspiciously quick backpedalling” on investigations against CPI(M) leaders” will likely provide sensational grist for the UDF to scourge the LDF in the Assembly.The government’s alleged inaction on the findings of the K. Hema Committee report, which documented sexual predation, gender discrimination and workplace harassment in the Malayalam film industry, has the potential to render the session tumultuous, given the High Court’s damning observation that the administration delay apathy seemed “alarmingly lethargic.”The controversy over the “inflated estimation” of the expense of the relief and rescue operations in landslides-hit Wayanad might also evolve as a point of fierce contention between the opposing fronts.Notably, the LDF and UDF will likely find common ground in the INDIA bloc’s opposition to the Union Cabinet’s clearance to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.As in the case of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the farm Bill, the Opposition’s consensus on simultaneous elections could manifest in a unanimous resolution in the Assembly. Published – September 18, 2024 08:06 pm IST