MALAPPURAM:The SDPI and the Welfare Party of India might be able to get some advantage in the areas of Malappuram district where land protection strikes are active. Political scenario is murky in several panchayats in the district due to the protest over the GAIL pipeline project and the NH widening process. People who are affected by both these projects are also trying to force the political parties to take a stance favourable to them in the issue.
The proposed Kochi-Mangaluru GAIL pipeline project is passing through 13 local bodies in the district. People living in these panchayats are strongly opposing the project. Political parties like SDPI and the Welfare Party are openly supporting the protesters in local and state level. Though all the parties are supporting the protesters in local level, their leaders are allegedly supporting the project in the state level.
“Political situation in the 13 local bodies is favourable for us. It would also reflect in the election. We will improve our vote share in these panchayats. SDPI is the only party that raised its voice for the victims from the beginning. We have conducted a protest from Kalamassery to Kasargod in 2012 against the project. All other political parties were silent at that time,” SDPI district vice-president Siji Unni said. However, the GAIL Victims Action Forum, the leading organisation protesting against the project, has informed that it was standing alone without any political alliance.
“The forum will not support any political parties in the election. It has no politics and it would remain same in this election period. But we have started efforts to put pressure on politicians in the election time. The victims of the project are getting support from various political parties,” action forum chairman Alavikkutty Bava said.