KOCHI: Perhaps, it is for the first time in the political history of the state nine MLAs and a Rajya Sabha member are in the poll fray. Criticism has cropped up from various corners that this challenges the people’s verdict in a previous election and forces them to face another election thereby causing a loss to the government’s exchequer.
However, political observers say with the fielding of prominent figures, the political parties have aired a clear message this election is very crucial. According to experts, this election has assumed a significance even more than the polls after the Emergency period as it is a do-or-die battle for various political outfits.
Former Kerala University Pro-VC and political observer J Prabhash pointed out the fielding of MLAs has shown the seriousness of this general election.
“It is clear this election is a do-or-die battle for many parties. Hence, they fielded winnable candidates who are MLAs. There is nothing wrong in fielding MLAs as there is no restriction in a democracy for an MLA to seek the people’s mandate for becoming an MP. This kind of a fierce battle would have happened only in an election after Emergency,” he added.
On the other hand, political analyst and veteran journalist Appukuttan Vallikkunnu observed this trend is not good for a democratic process. “An MLA is elected by the people to serve his duty for the five-year period. During this time, they are seeking another opportunity which is an act against the people. This is also morally incorrect,” he said.
He cited that individuals who sought people’s mandate as independent candidates are now presented as CPM candidates by allowing them to contest in the official symbol in Ponnani and Pathanamthitta. “Earlier, the candidate did not matter. The political parties and its policies were important,” he added.A M Ariff, A Pradeep Kumar and LDF-backed independents Veena George and P V Anvar are the sitting MLAs from the CPM while C Divakaran and Chittayam Gopakumar are the CPI MLAs. The Congress has fielded three MLAs - K Muraleedharan, Adoor Prakash and Hibi Eden. The only Rajya Sabha member in the fray is BJP’s Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam.
The Congres fielded Rajmohan Unnithan who lost in Kundara against Minister J Mercykutty, Shanimol Usman who lost in Ottappalam and K Sudhakaran who lost in Uduma in Kasargod, Alappuzha and Kannur Lok Sabha seats, respectively. The Kerala Congress (M) fielded Thomas Chazhikadan, who lost in Ettumanoor consecutively in 2011 and 2016. He is the candidate in their lone Kottayam seat. BJP’s prominent faces Kummanam Rajasekharan (Thiruvananthapuram), Sobha Surendran (Attingal), C Krishnakumar (Palakkad) and K Surendran (Pathanamthitta) were the runners-up in Vattiyoorkavu, Palakkad, Malampuzha and Manjeswaram Assembly constituencies in the last election.