KOCHI: Once considered a bastion of the UDF, the withdrawal of veteran Congress leader K Babu from electoral politics has made the constituency unpredictable.
Though CPM’s firebrand leader M Swaraj managed to beat Babu by a margin of 4,467 votes in 2016, the veteran leader recaptured his fortress in 2021 by a thin majority of 992 votes.
However, as Tripunithura braces for another electoral battle, it seems to be an even match. Though the BJP was able to wrest power in Tripunithura municipality, its influence has been limited to the temple town.
The UDF managed to secure power in Maradu municipality and the panchayats of Udayamperoor and Kumbalam in the recent local body polls. However, the LDF managed to retain its dominance in Palluruthy area winning 8 of the nine divisions in Kochi corporation elections. The difference in vote share of the two fronts was less than 300 votes.
The UDF and the NDA are raising the development woes of the constituency. Though the widening of SN Junction- Poothotta Road was approved ten years ago, the project has not taken off.
Traditionally Tripunithura has been a Hindu-dominated constituency where Ezhava, Dheevara and Nair communities hold the key.
The LDF has fielded Vypeen MLA and CPM leader K N Unnikrishnan, while the UDF has fielded Kochi Deputy Mayor Deepak Joy. The decision of the NDA to give the seat to Twenty20 and field actor Anjali Nair has left the BJP workers disgruntled.
The BJP local leadership feels that the party should not have given away the only ‘A’ class seat in Ernakulam district where they were preparing for a fierce triangular fight. The Left and the UDF have sensed an opportunity in the disillusionment of BJP cadre.
“A photo released by the LDF on Monday reveals the real picture in Tripunithura. LDF candidate Unnikrishnan is seen touching the feet of Tantri Puliyanoor Parameswaran Namboothiripad. It seems the CPM is trying to woo the disillusioned BJP voters,” said political observer P Sujathan.