NILAMBUR: The campaigning in Nilambur byelections is in the final round with each party running their last lap to secure a comfortable win. The title race between LDF candidate M Swaraj and UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath is still tight, making it difficult to predict the winner.
In the final week of campaigning, Swaraj is slightly ahead in the campaigning with the entire cabinet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan camping in Nilambur, and the LDF camp enlisting support from the socio-cultural spectrum lining up artists, writers and cultural figures to register a thumping win in the decisive election.
Though Aryadan Shoukath’s campaign has been lagging in momentum compared to the pompousness of the LDF camp, the candidate and the UDF leadership pin their hopes on MP Priyanka Gandhi who will campaign for the front on Sunday.
“Priyanka Gandhi had secured a huge majority for UDF in the previous elections that Nilambur faced. For sure, her arrival brings a lot of hope in igniting voters’ spirits in favour of UDF,” Aryadan Shoukath told TNIE.
In the bypoll held in Wayanad LS constituency in November 2024, Priyanka had won by a whopping margin of 4.10 lakh votes, way ahead of the margin secured by her brother Rahul. In Nilambur alone, Priyanka received 95,043 votes from a total of 14,0232 votes cast which secured her a record lead of 65,132 in the assembly segment. Hoping to turn the tide in favour of the UDF, Priyanka will hit the ground for a day’s campaigning in the constituency on Sunday.
“Usually, national leaders of Congress do not take part in bypoll campaigns. Priyanka is arriving because this is an assembly segment in her parliament constituency as well. We strongly believe that this will take our campaign to its peak,” said Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan.