UDF sitting pretty in Aluva but LDF hopes for surprise

Congress highlights development works done by MLA Anwar Sadath; Left front believes fielding architect Shelna will help defeat him

LDF’s Shelna Nishad taking a selfie with voters after her election convention at Edathala in Aluva.

KOCHI: The Aluva constituency has sent only two candidates of the Left front to the assembly since 1957, making it a stronghold of UDF in the district. Sitting MLA Anwar Sadath has been elected from the constituency consecutively since 2011. He is in the fray again. The LDF has fielded 34-year-old architect Shelna Nishad, daughter-in-law of K Mohemmadali, who represented the constituency for 25 years as Congress legislator, in a bid to wrest the seat. The BJP has fielded senior leader M N Gopi in the constituency.

The Congress has been highlighting the popularity and development works done by Sadath during his ten years of tenure. Besides, the UDF had garnered a whopping lead of 31,923 votes in the Lok Sabha elections in the assembly segment that falls under Chalakudy constituency in 2019. UDF candidate Benny Behanan polled 76,318 votes against LDF’s Innocent who garnered 4,421 votes. The UDF fared well in the civic body polls too, retaining power in Aluva Municipality and nearby grama panchayats.  “The UDF will register a thumping victory. The LDF has failed to field a party candidate and this has stirred up a row inside the CPM itself,” said M O John, UDF election committee chairman and Aluva municipal chairman.

(L) NDA candidate M N Gopi receives blessings from a voter in Aluva on Monday, (R) UDF candidate Anwar Sadath having a fun time with kids during campaigning in Chengamanad, 

According to Congress leaders, resentment is brewing in CPM following the candidature of Shelna Nishad, who has no connection with the place. However, Shelna, who completed her first phase of electioneering, said she had been receiving good response irrespective of political colour in the constituency. “I have been receiving good support from the people and this could not be linked with my family background. The LDF’s pro-people policies announced in its manifesto is one of the major reasons behind this warm response,” she added.

A M Yousaf of CPM won the 2006 election, defeating then sitting MLA Mohammedali by 4,366 votes. Mohemmadali had served as the Aluva MLA for six consecutive terms from 1980 to 2006. In 2011, the Congress wrested the seat back as then Youth Congress leader Sadath defeated Yousaf by 13,214 votes. In the 2016 election, Sadath retained his seat with 69,568 votes, while  CPM’s V Saleem garnered 50,733 votes and BJP’s Latha Gangadharan 19,349.