Tough fight for LDF to maintain status quo in Palakkad

By G. Prabhakaran

PALAKKAD, MAY 8. At the end of a month-long intense election campaign in the sweltering heat, the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF is fighting hard to maintain the status quo while the UDF led by the Congress is all set to change it by winning at least half of the seats in the predominantly agriculture-based district of Palakkad.

In the last Assembly election, the LDF won nine seats leaving only two for the UDF. This time the UDF is trying to annex at least five seats from the LDF kitty.

The electioneering here has caught national attention because the conveners of the LDF and the UDF are contesting here.

All eyes are on the Malampuzha Assembly constituency where the LDF convener and the CPI(M)'s Chief Minister candidate, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, is in the fray. The LDF is trying to increase the margin of nearly 19,000 votes they got here last time. The CPI(M) politburo member is being challenged by the students' leader of the Congress, Mr. Satheeshan Pancheni. Nobody expects a `Mararikulam' here but the million dollar question is whether the CPI(M) stalwart will get a record margin. The campaign managers of the LDF are not ready to say a firm yes on this. The upper caste and CITU votes will be crucial on deciding the victory margin.

Another prestigious contest taking place is in the Palakkad Assembly constituency where the UDF convener and Congress stalwart, Mr. K. Sankaranarayanan, is firm on recapturing the party's fort which it lost to the sitting MLA, Mr. T.K. Noushad of the CPI(M) last time. Here the votes of the Muslim minority and Tamil Brahmins and the breakaway group of the BJP would be crucial.

In half a dozen constituencies, the UDF and the LDF are evenly poised. The result of the fight in Chittur between the Janata Dal leader and LDF candidate, Mr. K. Krishnakutty, and the sitting MLA, Mr. K. Achuthan, is quite unpredictable. The crash in agriculture prices, shortage of irrigation and drinking water and the new Abkari policy are the deciding factors along with the possible incumbency factor against the LDF Government.

The two Ministers in the fray here are confident that they will make it to the Assembly this time too. The CPI leader and Revenue Minister, Mr. K.E. Ismail, contesting from Pattambi against a newcomer, Mr. C.P. Mohammed, of the Congress has an edge over his main rival. But UDF circles feel optimistic since they won more votes than the LDF in elections to the local body. In the Ottapalam constituency, a traditional stronghold of the CPI(M), the NCP-LDF candidate and Health Minister, Mr. V.C. Kabeer, has an edge over his main rival, Mr. C.K. Balachandran, of the Congress. But the UDF feels that the `anti-LDF wave' will help them to capture the seat.

In the CPI(M) strongholds of Kuzhalmannam and Alathur, the LDF is better placed. In the Kuzhalmannam (Reserved) constituency, Mr. A.K. Balan of the CPI(M) is being challenged by Mr. C. Prakash of the Congress. He has put up a good fight against the LDF candidate.

In Alathur, Mr. Chenthamarakshan of the CPI(M)-LDF is trying his best to hold the party fort against the challenge from Ms. Chellamma of the Congress. The constituency has elected only CPI(M) candidates except once.

In Kollengode, the CPI(M) candidate, Mr. Chinnakuttan, is trying hard to unseat Mr. K.A. Chandran of the Congress to capture their lost seat.

Two youth leaders are engaged in a neck-and-neck race in Mannarkkad. The sitting MLA, Mr. Jose Baby of the CPI, is trying to ward off the strong challenge from the IUML candidate, Mr. Kalathil Abdulla. Here, the votes of the Christian and Muslim minorities, the tribals and the high range farmers will decide the final outcome.

In Sreekrishnapuram, the DCC president and the UDF candidate, Mr. V.S. Vijayaraghavan, has put up an impressive fight against the sitting MLA, Ms. Girija Surendran of the CPI(M). The UDF hopes to win the seat though the LDF is equally sure of retaining it.

The Thrithala (Reserved) constituency was in the news recently because of the last minute change in candidates announced by the Congress high command which was changed because of stiff opposition from the local party rank and file. The Congress has fielded Mr. P. Balan, a local youth who put up a good fight in a short time against the sitting MLA, Mr. V.K. Chandran of the CPI(M). The UDF hopes to capture this seat this time from the CPI(M) but CPI(M) circles hope that they will retain it with a small margin.

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Section  : State Elections
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