Perumatty upbeat
the political discourse in Kerala today is dominated by how the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (ldf) decimated the Congress led United Democratic Front (udf) in the recent panchayat elections. However, the role played by grassroot level movements in shaping the electoral outcome in many places is conspicuous by their absence in these discussions.
At Perumatty in Palakkad district, ldf won 14 out of 17 seats. Plachimada in this panchayat is well known for its determined struggle against Coca-Cola (See