The federal nature of the Indian polity allows for a government both at the center and at the state levels. Thus since there is a state level governance and executive, polls are regularly held to elect the people’s representatives to the state legislature.
The ruling party or alliance takes over the administration and the leader of this party/coalition is sworn in as the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister now elects capable ministers from among the leaders of his party to head the various ministries of the executive. The local parties contest this election in right earnest as they hold the regional interests dearer than the national ones.
The people feel a sense of identification with the regional party ideologies. The appeal of the National parties on the other hand lies in their national character. The state parties are those who have not yet succeeded in gaining recognition in 4 states or more. The state parties may be recognized parties or unrecognized. The major state parties that contest polls in Kerala are:
CPI(ML)(L) - Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) Website: http://www.cpiml.org/
JD(S) - Janata Dal (Secular)Symbol: farmer lady carrying paddy on her head Website: http://www.jds.in/
JD(U) - Janata Dal (United) Symbol: Arrow
KEC - Kerala Congress. Official Blog: http://www.kcj.in/
KEC(M) - Kerala Congress (M) Symbol: Two Leaves
MUL - Muslim League Kerala State Committee. Symbol: Ladder
RJD - Rashtriya Janata Dal Symbol: Hurricane Lamp
RSP - Revolutionary Socialist Party
SHS - Shivsena Symbol: Bow And Arrow
Other than these a host of registered but unrecognized parties also contest the polls in the state. The election commission provides a list of free symbols for them to choose from. These are:
AKMDMP - All Kerala M.G.R. Dravida Munnetra Party
CMPKSC - Communist Marxist Party Kerala State Committee
INGP - Indian National Green Party
INL - Indian National League
JP - Janata Party
JPSS - Janadhipathiya Samrekshna Samiti
KEC(B) - Kerala Congress (B)
KEC(J) - Kerala Congress (Jacob)
LJNSP - Lok Jan Shakti Party
RSPK(B) - Revolutionary Socialist Party of Kerala (Bolshevik)
SJP(R) - Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)
SLAP - Social Action Party
UIPP - United India Peoples Party
