THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The sailing is
smooth for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the
Muslim-dominated Malappuram district, a bastion of the Congress ally, Indian
Union Muslim League (IUML).
The sitting MP, P. K. Kunhalikkutty,
who is also the national secretary of the IUML, will be the party candidate
from Malappuram. But for unexpected developments, it will be a cake-walk for
the IUML strongman. The only point of interest is whether his majority of over
1,70,000 votes can be brought down. All the assembly segments that go into the
making of the Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency are held by the IUML. No
wonder, Kunhalikkutty is a picture of confidence.
Ponnani: It is another IUML
stronghold. Party candidate E T Mohammed Bashir won it last time. But he had to
sweat it out as the LDF candidate gave him a run for the money, lowering his
80,000-vote majority of 2014 to just over 20,000. In other words, Ponnani is
not as invincible for the IUML as Malappuram is. If the LDF can put up a strong
candidate, Bashir will have to work
harder to retain the seat.
Palakkad: A traditional CPI(M)
stronghold. Sitting MP M B Rajesh will most probably be given a second chance.
Rajesh deserves it as he is immensely popular in the constituency. Another plus
point is that his performance both in and out of Parliament has been quite impressive.
It is not as if the UDF has no chance of upsetting the calculations of the
CPI(M). But that won’t be easy at all. The BJP has also struck deep roots in
the constituency. But Sabarimala notwithstanding, the party is in no position
to score an upset victory, given the virulent factionalism in the local BJP.
Alathur: Another sure seat of the CLPI(M) in the
Malabar region. The CPI(M) has been winning from here in the last few LS
elections. Sitting MP P K Biju won with a majority of over 37,000 votes in
2014. Reports, however, have it that Biju may not be given another chance. The
CPI(M) is reportedly looking for a stronger candidate, post Sabarimala
agitation fallout.
Thrissur: This is the lone seat the
CPI had in the last Lok Sabha. CN Jayadevan of the CPI had won here in 2014
with a comfortable majority of over 37,000 votes. But given his lackluster
performance in Parliament, Jayadevan may not be retained by the party this time
around. The name doing the party rounds is former minister KP Rajendran. No
doubt, Rajendran is a good candidate, and is a known face in the constituency.
But if the Congress fields heavyweights like former KPCC chief V M Sudheeran or
TN Prathapan, Rajendran may find the going tough. The best man who can retain
the seat for the CPI is agriculture minister in the Pinarayi ministry, V S
Sunil Kumar, who is immensely popular in Thrissur. His performance as a
minister is simply brilliant. If Sunil, who is affectionately called
‘Sunilettan’ (elder brother Sunil) even by UDF workers, throws his hart in the
ring, the CPI can retain the seat. The big if is whether he will be spared from
the state cabinet.
Chalakkudi constituency, a traditional
Congress stronghold, sprang a surprise in 2014 by sending LDF-backed
Independent, Innocent to the Lok Sabha. The Congress made a tactical blunder by
shifting its candidate KP Dhanapalan to Thrissur to accommodate Congress
heavyweight, P C Chacko who had reservations about fighting from Thrissur. The
result: the Congress lost both Thrissur and Chalakkudi. The party is determined
to wrest Chalakkudi. Unless the CPI(M) fields a strong candidate like CPI(M)
Ernakulam district secretary P. Rajiv,
Congress could romp home the winner. Reports have it that sitting MP Innocent
is out of the race, given his poor show as an MP.
As regards Ernakulam, the constituency
has been traditionally Congress-friendly. Party strongman, K V Thomas has been
winning from here for the last two terms. This time as well, Thomas Master, as
he is fondly referred to in the constituency, will be the party candidate.
However, it is not as if the CPI(M) has no chance of wresting the seat from
Congress. CPI(M) candidate V Vishwanath Menon has won from here in the past. So
has CPI(M)-backed Independent Sebastian Paul. But the CPI(M) experiment of
fielding Independents won’t do. It will have to put up a strong candidate to
deprive Thomas of his sleep. (IPA
Service)
The post UDF Sitting Pretty In Malappuram appeared first on Newspack by India Press Agency.
