KANNUR: “If you place all the UDF candidates on one tray of a weighing scale and Pinarayi Vijayan on the other, no doubt Pinarayi’s tray will remain lowered,” thunders a local LDF leader at an election rally in Kadambur.
But the chief minister pays little attention to such hyperbole as he leaves the stage.
The smiling face of ‘The Captain’ remains the central campaign motif of the LDF in this election — from ubiquitous hoardings and reels to advertisements. A beaming Pinarayi greets voters from nearly every corner of Kerala. Yet, while campaigning in his own constituency, he avoids superlatives. He sticks to facts and figures.
“A candidate is supposed to meet voters soon after the election is announced, but I couldn’t do so because I was busy in other constituencies. However, I know you all acted on my behalf. Every LDF worker in Dharmadam turned into a candidate,” Pinarayi tells a gathering in Kadambur.
Chandran, an autorickshaw driver who attended a campaign event in Chala, says people know the chief minister has never neglected Dharmadam, despite his busy schedule.
“For the past 10 years, Pinarayi has intervened even in minor issues in the constituency. People could visit his office at the Pinarayi Convention Centre with any concern,” he adds.
At a convention in Koyyod, Pinarayi stresses the need for the LDF government’s return. “The world is changing swiftly, and we cannot afford to fall behind,” he says.
“People in Kerala want an ecosystem that is in tune with global developments. Over the past 10 years, we have made significant progress in that direction.”
Calling the UDF rule from 2011 to 2016 a “dark age”, Pinarayi accuses its leaders of lacking commitment to the people.
“Education and health were once Kerala’s pride before the world, but both sectors declined during that period.”
“Over the past decade, however, Kerala has moved from darkness to light. Even pessimists who believed nothing positive would happen here have begun shedding their negativity.”
Pinarayi asserts that the LDF government achieved growth despite resistance from a “hostile” Union government. “We overcame it through prudent financial management and remained focused on development,” he says.
Party workers gather at Muzhappala, where the day’s campaign culminates, after taking out a procession. Speaking ahead of Pinarayi’s arrival, CPM leader P Sasi plays up the welfare tangent.
“Our workers in Makreri met an elderly couple — staunch Congress supporters — who had just received two instalments of social security pension,” he says. “They expressed concern that they might not receive the pension if the UDF returns to power. This reflects the shift in the mindset of ordinary people.”
Sasi adds that Kerala needs “a strong leader like Pinarayi” during times of crisis. “He proved his mettle during the pandemic and the floods,” he concludes.
