ALAPPUZHA: The district famed for the boat races is now engaged in a race akin to the finals with a nail biting finish. The land which witnessed many a communist revolution is unpredictable this time as unlike in the previous elections, where it saw a direct fight between the UDF and the LDF, has a strong challenge from the NDA, this time.
Certainly, it is an acid test for the BJP, its partner Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), backed by SNDP Yogam. Moreover it is a matter of pride for its general secretary Vellappally Natesan and the Ezhava community. The arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kuttanand for a high voltage campaign has given a clear signal to propel the maximum number of seats and votes to the NDA from the district.
Though once a Communist bastion, no front can consider the district its fervent supporter as the voters have embraced both fronts. In the 2011 elections, the LDF had won seven out of 9 constituencies. However, the alliance of BJP with SNDP in the last panchayat poll has given an edge to the NDA and helped improve the vote share of the front.
The BDJS leaders expect the support of the Ezhava community, which is a majority community in the district, and the influence of Vellappally in its home district and these will be a crucial strength for the NDA as the community votes will be polled this time.
In Harippad, though the camp of local MLA and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala was expecting an easy walkover, P Prasad of CPI is offering him a tough fight. “The UDF will increase the number of seats in the district. The united move of the front has become a fear factor to the LDF,” said DCC president A A Shukkoor. However, the two rebels Shobhana George in Chengannur and Jose Koiyippilly in Kuttanad are a headache to the UDF where Senior leader P S Sreedharan Pillai of the BJP and Subhas Vasu of the BDJS are candidates,giving the NDA high hopes.
The LDF, which has fielded six sitting MLAs except C K Sadasivan, is also confident of a win in the district. The LDF leaders expect to retain all seats in the ensuing election. In Cherthala, the home constituency of Vellappally Natesan where Ezhavas enjoy an upper hand, P Thilothaman of the CPI is facing a fierce fighting from Youth Congress leader S Sarath and P S Rajiv a former Tahasildar, who is the BDJS candidate.
Ambalappuzha and Alappuzha
In Alappuzha and Ambalappuzha, the CPM is expecting a thumping victory for sitting MLAs T M Thomas Isaac and G Sudhakaran as the development activities initiated by the two former ministers will be an advantage, as well as Aroor and Mavelikkara. “The LDF is confident of winning all existing seats. There will be strong competition in Harippad and Chengannur,” CPM district secretary Saji Cheriyan said.
“The split in the UDF over the seat-sharing and the backwardness of development will help the NDA in Kuttanad, said K Soman, BJP district president.
Dark Horses
P S Sreedharan Pillai Chengannur
The former president of the state BJP is giving a tough fight to both the UDF and LDF in his first election to the state Assembly. It is a return of the native for this senior lawyer who had Kozhikode as his base for a long time. The party has high hopes as his personality, along with the surge in party votes, will paint the gateway to Sabarimala, in saffron.
Subhash Vasu Kuttanad
A senior leader of BDJS and a former member of the Travancore Devaswom Board, Subhash Vasu has emerged as a strong rival to both the sitting MLA of LDF and the fresh face from UDF, in his first race to the Assembly. The rank and file of the NDA considers the arrival of Narendra Modi as a boost to his campaign and they expectnothing less than a victory in the land of paddy fields.