It could well be termed as an irony. The island constituency of Lakshadweep, one of the smallest in the country has six candidates - five representing national parties and one state party - fighting it out in the coming Lok Sabha polls. At the last lap of campaigning, the poll heat has reached its maxim in Lakshadweep.
The constituency with less than 50,000 voters has six candidates - sitting MP of Congress Hamdulla Sayeed, NCP’s P P Mohammed Faisal, BJP’s Sayeed Mohammed Koya, Abdul Muneer of CPM, Sayeed Mohammed Kasim alias Komalam Koya of Samajwadi Party and C T Najmudheen of the CPI.
It’s for the first time that the CPI contesting from here. A Congress bastion for a long time, traditionally Congress and NCP are the main opponents in the poll battle. The island constituency has been with P M Sayeed, former Union Minister and former Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for a long time. He represented the islands in the Lok Sabha from 1971 to 1999.
Though the NCP won the seat for the first time in 2004, Congress took it back through Sayeed’s son Hamdulla in 2009.
As always, the fight is based on issues of development and corruption in the islands.
“We are hopeful that his performance as Parliament member would be his biggest plus point in the polls. As an MP, he asked a total of 620 questions, spent more than 90 percent of the MPLADS. Major contribution was given to the medical field where 16 ambulances were bought for 9 islands in the constituency and set up a free CT scan centre by spending Rs 3 crore at the Rajeev Gandhi hospital in Agatti. In Bitra island, there were major infrastructural activities including establishing a beach road for Rs 45 lakh. The projects that he brought in the transport and education sectors have been widely appreciated by the people,” claimed Badarudeen of Lakshadweep Congress Committee.
Last time Hamdulla Sayeed won with a majority of more than 2000 votes. This time Sayeed hopes to win majority in Androth, Minicoy and Kavarathi islands while Kalpeni may stand with NCP.
On the other hand corruption in the public space would also be a major issue. Many senior officials served here are currently facing CBI probe following allegations of economic manipulations.