Candidates step up campaign in Kerala

Candidates in most constituencies in the southern Indian state of Kerala have launched their campaign with President Pranab Mukherjee issuing notification for the second and third phase polls to be held on April 9 and 10.

Election for all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held during the third phase on April 10. The last date for acceptance of nominations is March 22. The scrutiny will take place on March 24. The last date for withdrawing nominations will be March 26.

The total number of voters in the state is 23.8 million against 21.8 million in the last poll in 2009. This represents an increase of two million voters in the last five years. Women voters who constitute 12.4 million outnumber men by one million.

Most candidates have begun their campaign by visiting places of worship and meeting heads of various religions and leaders of different communities. Congress candidate in Idukki Dean Kuriakose had a sour start with sharp criticism from Idukki Bishop Mar Mathew Anikkuzhikkattil.

The prelate came down heavily on Dean when he went to Bishop’s House at Kattappana on Saturday morning for seeking his blessings. He termed the Congress leaders arrogant and their youth counterparts immature.

“The Congress leaders visit us only for seeking votes. After assuming power, they behave like kings and forget the people. People have started realising this. That’s why they have dumped sitting MP PT Thomas, who stood for the Kasturirangan report,” the bishop said.

Dean, who is the president of the Youth Congress, accepted the criticism saying that the bishop had his right to criticise anybody. However, PT Thomas, who was denied the seat for antagonising the Church over the Kasturirangan panel report, said that the bishop had exploded because of his high blood pressure.

Earlier, the Congress candidate in Wayanad M I Shanavaz faced the wrath of his own partymen over his ‘poor performance’ when he went to a party meeting at Mananthavadi for forming the party election committee.

In Kannur, the Congress kept local MLA AP Abdullakutty off the election convention for K Sudhakaran because of a rape case pending against him. The CPM workers roughed him up the previous day demanding his arrest and resignation.

The campaign is also not smooth for several opposition candidates with the workers still not coming in terms their candidatures. While in some places they gave vent to their displeasure, in other places many kept off the campaign.

Ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) are the main political opponents in the state. During the 2009 elections, UDF got 16 seats while LDF bagged four.

Congress, the lead partner in the UDF, is contesting in 15 seats while its allies IUML in two and KCM, RSP and SJD one each. Among the LDF opposition, the CPM is contesting in 15 seats while Communist Party of India (CPI) four and JD(S) one.

Kerala is considered crucial by both the traditional rival as they are expecting maximum seats from the southern state. While the Congress needs more seats to strengthen its bid to retain power at the Centre, the CPM is banking on Kerala not only to play a major role in installing an alternate government but also to ensure its survival as a national party.

The latest opinion poll survey has predicted 13 seats for the UDF and seven for the LDF. The previous surveys had given UDF 11 and the LDF 9.

news@khaleejtimes.com

• India