PARASSALA: Despite having the highest number of voters in Thiruvananthapuram district, Parassala is still one of the backward assembly constituencies in the state in terms of development.
Many interior belts of the constituency are yet to see any development, especially roads. Scarcity of drinking water continues to be a major issue in some areas. Though the sitting MLA and LDF candidate CK Hareendran claimed that he had initiated many steps for better infrastructure in the past five years, his rivals R K Ansajitha Russel of UDF and Karamana Jayan of NDA use the weapon of ‘ambitious’ hill highway project that is yet to be developed.
According to voters, Hareendran is a person who is well connected with common man, they said. “The major road connecting Parassala and Vellarada, which is part of the hill highway, is in tatters and filled with potholes. But he used to come at all the places whenever the people faced issues and resolved the issues locally. But we need a comprehensive development in all sectors,” said Reghukumar S, a voter hailing from Kunnathukal in the constituency.
However, Hareendran is leading the campaign as he had started the vehicle rally on Monday itself. The other candidates, Karamana Jayan and Ansajitha are still busy attending election conventions and meeting key voters to ensure their support. In a brief conversation with TNIE, Hareendran refuted the allegations that there was no development in the constituency.
“I have renovated 155 roads here. I was a new face when I had won in 2016. The roads were in bad shape then. I have made significant changes in developing the majority of the roads and have given a facelift to Dhanuvachapuram ITI, Marayamuttom,Ottasekharamangalam, Aryancode and Parassala schools. In addition, I have brought in many new facilities to Parassala government hospital,” Hareendran said, while agreeing that the pathetic condition of Parassala-Vellarada road was partially addressed due to untimely death of the contractor due to Covid-19 infection. “The stretch was to be completed long ago. But the unfortunate death of the contractor brought this project into a standstill. However, the state government has intervened and handed over the contract to Uralungal Labour Service Corporate Society (ULCCS) last month. The ULCCS will start the work soon,” he said.
Ansajitha’s candidature was finalised quite late and hence she is yet to be in the campaign groove. The former Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat president was touring Inchivila, Parassala town, Paliyode, Marayamuttom, Mannamkonam, and Vellarada meeting voters in person. She said the LDF’s rule in Parassala was a total failure. “Roads are the face of a city, town or a village. Anyone travelling through the streets here could get a first-hand experience of the pathetic condition of the roads. Similarly, no effort was made to make drinking water available to the areas hit by water shortage, nor was there any initiative for the uplift of women here. Once I am elected to assembly my priority would be on welfare of women and drinking water. The hill highway stretch will also be completed on time,” she said.
Meanwhile, BJP candidate Karamana Jayan said the present MLA cannot claim credit for the development of schools and hospitals. “Parassala has not seen any development specifically. The development of schools and hospitals is common in all panchayats which was an initiative of the state government. Though I have lost elections here in 2016, I got a good number of votes despite not being a native of Parassala. In the past five years, I was part of this constituency and I know the pulse of the voters. I am confident of my victory,” said Jayan who promises AIIMS on the 400 acres of land at Kallikadu panchayat with the help of the Centre,” he said.
Caste factor
Caste vote bank also plays a crucial role here. Though Nadar community votes formed the lion’s share earlier, Nair and Ezhava communities in addition to tribal votes are equally important now as the boundaries of the constituency have been changed. The LDF has an upper hand considering the resounding victory in the last LSG polls, but the UDF and the NDA also have good influence in panchayats like Amboori, Ottasekharamangalam and Kallikadu. In 2016, Hareendran got 70,156 votes and UDF’s A T George secured 51,590 votes. Karamana Jayan came third.