KOCHI: Victory in Ernakulam Assembly seat has never been an easy task for the LDF considering the fact that LDF-backed independent candidates could only win the seat twice while the UDF had the last laugh in all the other occasions in the election history.
But in this bypoll to Ernakulam Assembly seat, the LDF sees an opportunity in the Palarivattom flyover corruption case to upset the UDF apple cart and wrest the seat.
The LDF pretty well knows that the flyover could be used as a major weapon to target the UDF. The LDF leadership strongly believes that the state government’s tough stand against corruption will do wonders in the bypolls.
“The LDF Government’s strong action against corruption will have an impact on the bypolls. Above all, the development projects brought in by the government have benefitted the people. Ernakulam should have an LDF MLA to work in tandem with the state government for completing various new projects.
People will go to polling booths bearing all these factors in mind,” said senior CPM leader P Rajeev.
The LDF leaders say that Palarivattom flyover stands as a monument of UDF’s corruption. “We will easily garner at least 30,000 more votes for the tough stand taken by the LDF Government in the flyover corruption case,” said another CPM leader.
However, UDF leaders are confident that the front will romp home during this bypolls too and their argument has a valid point if one considers the 2016 Assembly election when Hibi Eden won the seat with a comfortable margin of nearly 22,000 votes while there was a strong LDF wave across the state.
“The bypolls will be fought politically. Palarivattom flyover corruption case will not affect the UDF. We will win the seat with a good majority,” said UDF candidate T J Vinod.M K Sanu in 1987 and Sebastian Paul in 1998 have won from LDF ticket.
People are with LDF: CM
Pathanamthitta: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the people of the state are with LDF and wholeheartedly acknowledge the good governance of the government, while inaugurating the election convention of Konni bypoll LDF candidate at Eliyarackal on Sunday.
He said, “Pala was a clear example of people extending their mandate for the LDF by electing Mani C Kappan and creating history by changing the guard ever since the constituency formed.”
The chief minister said the remaining byelection in five constituencies would be another test of confidence of the people. Lambasting the Congress party, he said the party failed to protect and keep the secular credentials and confidence of all sections of society.