THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A section within the Congress camp is apprehensive of their own party workers’ votes going in favour of the BJP candidate in Chelakkara. If the party leadership has been facing dissident moves in Palakkad by-election against the candidature of Rahul Mamkootathil, the local dissident leaders have not yet come out in the open against Ramya Haridas’ candidature in Chelakkara. This has cast a shadow on Ramya’s prospects in Chelakkara as the BJP camp is upbeat about defeating the Congress candidate.
From day one, the local Congress leaders were against the candidature of Rahul and Ramya in Palakkad and Chelakkara respectively. If Palakkad witnessed a few dissident leaders emerging against the leadership, the local leaders in Chelakkara were tight-lipped against the candidature of Ramya.
KPCC vice-president V P Sajeendran and general secretary P M Niyas were sent to Chelakkara three months ahead of the by-election announcement to thwart moves against Ramya. They have been able to address the internal party squabbles pertaining to the constituency to a large extent. But a senior Congress leader told TNIE that still there is apprehension about grassroots-level leaders showing their displeasure against Ramya when Chelakkara goes to polls on November 13.
“It’s been more than a week since the candidature has been announced. Still the party is being berated on Ramya and Rahul’s candidature. The issue with Ramya started ahead of the Alathur Lok Sabha election which saw her tasting defeat. Now the party’s top brass has issued a strict directive to work united in Chelakkara and Palakkad. Only time will tell whether cross-voting will happen in these two constituencies or not,” said a senior Congress leader.
However, KPCC general secretary K Jayanth refuted the claims of the senior Congress leader. Jayanth exuded confidence that Ramya will emerge victorious in the by-election.
“There was only a difference of 4,000 votes in Chelakkara assembly constituency when Ramya contested from Alathur Lok Sabha seat recently. In order to address the internal issues in Chelakkara, Sajeendran and Niyas were deputed to the constituency months ahead of the by-election. All 177 booth committees were constituted in Chelakkara and the entire party machinery has been working like a well-oiled machine,” said Jayanth.
Ramya is aware of the displeasure coming from the part of the local party leaders and has been striving hard to settle the difference of opinion amicably.