Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 28 As Kerala heads into a crucial election season - local body polls in December followed by the Assembly elections next year, sleaze-related controversies are fast emerging as campaign tools for rival parties eager to score points over each other.
Kerala's politics has a long history of leaders being dragged into the spotlight for reasons unrelated to governance.
The trail goes back to the first EMS Namboodiripad-led government, in which then minister P.K. Chathan faced allegations that shook the administration.
Soon after, Congress strongman P.T. Chacko found himself embroiled in a controversy in the 1960s.
The infamous ice cream parlour case of the 1990s saw Indian Union Muslim League stalwart P.K. Kunhalikutty stepping down, while leaders such as Jose Thettayil, P.J. Joseph, and A.K. Saseendran later faced similar storms.
Congress veteran P.J. Kurien, too, had a difficult period, and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was battered for years by allegations linked to the solar scam.
In both the 2016 and 2021 Assembly polls, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) used the solar scam to "target" Chandy and the Congress.
Although Chandy was eventually given a clean chit, the political damage had already been done.
Today, a similar script seems to be unfolding.
First-time Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil is facing serious allegations.
Moreover, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan, has hinted that another major revelation may rock the state.
The ruling LDF, often adept at turning such issues into campaign fodder, is expected to make the most of the situation.
The Congress-led UDF, however, has historically struggled to retaliate with the same aggression.
The BJP, though still a minor electoral force in Kerala, consistently pitches itself as a crusader against what it terms the "moral corruption" of both fronts.
But it too has been hit by controversy, with its vice-president C. Krishnakumar recently coming under scrutiny.
Political observers said that Kerala's unique political culture makes it fertile ground for scandal-driven campaigns.
"Every controversy here is magnified through TV debates, social media, and WhatsApp forwards. Once a sex scandal enters this ecosystem, it becomes impossible for parties to control the narrative," a political observer said.
Yet, the larger question remains: Do these scandals actually influence voting patterns?
Kerala's electorate, widely regarded as politically mature, often distinguishes between gossip and governance.
While such episodes generate embarrassment, experts believe they seldom decide electoral outcomes.
Still, parties recognise their disruptive potential.
In a state where margins are narrow and perception battles matter, scandals - whether proven or not - serve as distractions and rallying tools.
As Kerala approaches two elections, it is clear that "sleaze" will remain part of the arsenal.
Whether it shifts the balance of power is debatable, but morality wars continue to compete with manifestos in shaping the campaign narrative.
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