THRISSUR: Every year, people in Thrissur wait eagerly for the Kudamattam ceremony of Thrissur Pooram, where the famed Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu temple groups showcase their flair and creativity through a vibrant display of ornate umbrellas.
The spectacle is as much about performance and prestige as it is about tradition. This assembly election carries a similar sense of anticipation.
With only days left for this democratic festival, parties have stepped up their campaigns, bringing in top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Having elected Suresh Gopi as MP, Thrissur has since remained a centre of national attention. Though the BJP could not replicate that success in the local body elections, the party is going all out for a win in the assembly polls.
“I am fully confident as the whole BJP team is putting its heart and soul into the campaign,” said NDA candidate Padmaja Venugopal. From visits to Sakthan Market to interactions with morning walkers, she has been actively reaching out to voters across the city, banking on the ‘Modi effect’.
Meanwhile, UDF candidate Rajan Pallan also has been travelling across the constituency. “I know the people in Thrissur well, having served as mayor for about one year and nine months,” the Congress leader said. The strong performance in the Thrissur corporation election has boosted the UDF’s confidence.
For the LDF, Alankode Leelakrishnan is running a campaign that leans on the CPI’s organisational strength. Often reciting poems and engaging voters in personal conversations, he has managed to strike a quick rapport with people along the way.
A constituency that stood with Congress stalwart Therambil Ramakrishnan for 25 years, Thrissur is one the UDF hopes to reclaim. At the same time, the CPI has held the seat for the past two terms despite facing strong opponents.
Long seen as an ‘unlucky’ ground for the late K Karunakaran and his family, Padmaja now seeks to overturn that narrative.
With a significant share of voters from Christian and Ezhava communities, Thrissur is witnessing a tight three-cornered contest — one that remains difficult to predict and is, as always, capable of springing a surprise.