ALAPPUZHA
Alappuzha is a VIP zone with Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac, Cooperation Minister G Sudhakaran, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and JSS supremo K R Gowri testing their strength. The number of Assembly segments has come down to nine from the previous 11 following delimitation.
The LDF has a clear edge in Alappuzha and Ambalappuzha while Harippad will remain in the UDF kitty. A close battle is on in Aroor, Cherthala and Kayamkulam. The LDF has a slight edge in Kuttanad and the UDF in Chengannur and Mavelikkara.
Though the electorate of Alappuzha have favoured the UDF in the last four elections, this time the LDF has a clear edge with the candidature of Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac. His rival P J Mathew is fighting the Assembly election for the first time. Victory has eluded the Left in Alappuzha since 1987 and this time it is sure to make it.
Ambalappuzha, where CPM’s G Sudhakaran locks horns with Youth Congress vice-president M Liju, is the centre of attraction in the district. A prestige seat of both the LDF and UDF, the constituency is witnessing tough electioneering.
Though Liju’s camp hopes to surprise all with a win, Sudhakaran is ahead in the campaign. In Harippad, where KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala locks horns with CPI’s G Krishnaprasad, the UDF is heading for a clean sweep. In Cherthala, it will be a photo finish between K R Gowri and CPI’s sitting MLA P Thilothaman.
PATHANAMTHITTA
Considered to be a UDF citadel till the last Assembly elections, the five constituencies in the district are witnessing a fierce fight. UDF candidates are ahead in Aranmula and Adoor and LDF in Ranni. Tiruvalla and Konni are set for a photo finish.
In Aranmula, sitting MLA CPM’s K C Rajagopalan is facing threat from K Sivadasan Nair MLA of erstwhile Pathanamthitta constituency. K C Rajagopalan won the seat last time mainly owing to a Congress rebel Rajappan and the infighting in Congress over the candidature of Malethu Saraladevi. Delimitation has given an edge for Sivadasan Nair.
In Adoor, UDF candidate Pandalam Sudhakaran is setting pretty because of being a native and the fissures in the LDF.
In Ranni, sitting MLA CPM’s Raju Abraham, who is fighting for the fourth consecutive time, has an edge over UDF candidate Peelipose Thomas, the former DCC president and member of the State Planning Board.
In Tiruvalla, sitting MLA and LDF candidate Mathew T Thomas and UDF candidate Victor T Thomas are engaged in a neck-and-neck battle.
Though the rift in UDF over the seat allocation posed by Joseph M Puthussery could be resolved in favour of Victor T Thomas, Mathew T has unleashed a campaign focusing on the development activities he has initiated in the constituency in last five years.
In Konni, sitting MLA Adoor Prakash is facing a tough challenge from M S Rajendran of the LDF. The inclusion of Chittar and Seethathode, which largely favour the LDF and Mylapra, which sides with the UDF, has changed the geography of the constituency.
KOLLAM
Kollam which has been a Left fortress is witnessing a wave of change this time. Compared to the LDF tally of 11 out of 12 in 2006, it is a
neck-and- neck fight in majority of the 11 seats here. Following delimitation, the Neduvathur constituency won by the CPM last time has ceased to exist. The overall picture is that both the fronts have advantage in four seats each while three are heading for a photo finish.
In the CPI citadel Chadayamangalam, LDF’s Mullakkara Ratnakaran has a clear edge over UDF’s Shahida Kamal. Punalur may give CPI’s K Raju a second chance despite UDF’s Johnson Abraham’s spirited campaign.
In the Pathanapuram constituency, UDF candidate K B Ganesh Kumar is ahead of K Rajagopal of the CPM though the CPM is using all its prowess to stop Ganesh from a hat-trick victory. In Kottarakkara, Aisha Potty is sitting pretty despite an impressive campaign by Dr N N Murali of the UDF. In Kundara, M A Baby is not facing a major threat from
P Jermiyas of the Congress. Baby also shares Christian community’s support.
In the Eravipuram constituency, the UDF candidate and former minister
P K K Bava of the IUML may stop A A Aziz of the RSP from a hat-trick victory. In Chavara, the fight between RSP’s
N K Premachandran and RSP(B)’s Shibu Baby John has drawn a lot of attention. However, Shibu has attained a perceptible edge over Premachandran. In Chathannur, it is advantage G S Jayalal of the CPI against Mahila Congress state president Bindhu Krishna.
In Karunagapally, it is a close contest between A N Rajan Babu of the JSS and C Divakaran of the CPI. In the Kunnathur constituency, a tight fight is offered to the sitting MLA RSP’s Kovoor Kunjumonn by the new face P K Ravi of the Congress.
In Kollam, KPCC general secretary K C Rajan is putting up a spirited fight against P K Gurudasan and the result is unpredictable. These three constituencies may witness a photo finish.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
One of the main difference in the election scenario in ThiruvanThe BJP has emerged as as a major player in Thiruvananthapuram district. This time, the BJP has launched a high-profile campaign in Nemom and Kattakada and it claims an advantage over the rivals in these places.
In Kattakada,Congress candidate N Sakthan, who many thought would have an easy walkover, is sweating it out against P K Krishnadas of the BJP. It seems Krishnadas is giving more challenge to Sakthan than LDF candidate Jaya Dali. Another constituency that is witnessing a tight fight is Thiruvananthapuram where Port Minister V Surendran Pillai is pitted against DCC president V S Sivakumar.
However, LDF candidate V Sivankutty has a slight advantage over O Rajagopal of the BJP in Nemom primarily because of the weak campaign of UDF candidate Charupara Ravi of the SJD and the presence of a considerable number of Christian and Muslim votes. B Sathyan of the CPM and V Sasi of the CPI in Attingal and Chiryankeezhu have clear edge over their respective opponents Thankamony Divakaran and K Vidyadharan of the Congress primary owing to the strong grassroots-level presence of the Left front in these constituencies.
Though Anavoor Nagappan of the CPM and A T George of the Congress are popular in Parassala, the former has a slight advantage mainly owing to his development initiatives in the constituency during his tenure as the district panchayat president and the changed geography of the constituency.
The wide network of contacts of Koliakode Krishnan Nair of the CPM is believed to act as a plus point against C Mohanachandran of the Congress in Vamanapuram.
In Neyyattinkara, former MLA Thamapanoor Ravi of Congress with his strong local connections has been able to get an upper hand over sitting Parassala MLA R Selvaraj who has been shifted to the constituency. Though sitting MLA Varkala Kahar of the Congress has established a lead in Varakala constituency, SFI Leader A A Rahim is putting up a spirited fight. In Aruvikkara, Congress parliamentary party deputy leader G Karthikeyan has established a clear lead over Ambalathara Sreedharan Nair of the RSP. The same is the case with former KPCC President K Muraleedharan who is being challenged by Cherian Philip of the LDF and V V Rajesh of the BJP in Vattiyoorkavu. In Kazhakuttom constituency, sitting MLA M A Vaheed of the Congress has maintained a slight advantage over S Ajayakumar of the CPM. In Kovalam, the advantage is for sitting MLA George Mercier of the Congress though Jameela Prakasam of the Janata Dal (Secular) is fighting hard.
In Nedumangadu, a tight contest between CPI candidate P Ramachandran Nair and former Congress MLA Palode Ravi is in progress. However, Ravi seems to have a slight edge over Nair.