By-election in Trikkakara Assembly Constituency in Ernakulam district on 31st May The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in the Kerala Assembly or the Congress-led UDF is insignificant in terms of its impact on the numerical strength. In the 140-member assembly, the LDF is just one seat short of 100 as against the UDF’s 41 MLAs. But, he all round campaign Thrikkakara is indicated by both of them as to what is at stake.
keep won re-election a year agoThe Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government sees the bypoll as an evaluation of its massive infrastructure push, particularly the Silverline semi-high speed rail network, which has been criticized by environmentalists, technocrats, opposition and people likely to be displaced. has faced resistance. by Standalone Rail Corridor. In line with the new development paradigm for Kerala unveiled by Mr. Vijayan at his party’s state convention two months ago, the government has conveyed its intention to launch ‘growth-oriented’ high-value development projects along with welfare initiatives. I have not made any bones for which it was praised in the first term.
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But Thrikkakara holds the record of electing only Congress representatives since the formation of the constituency in 2011. The party has fielded Uma, wife of its popular late MLA PT Thomas, from the constituency to retain the seat. Therefore, snatching it away will bolster the government’s push for reforms. It is not surprising that Mr. Vijayan is leading the LDF campaign and coalition ministers and legislators are door-to-door seeking votes. The LDF candidate is Joe Joseph, a medical doctor, who has been fielded keeping an eye on the ‘apolitical’ vote of the constituency. The corporate-backed Twenty20 party, which garnered over 13,000 votes in Thrikkakara in the 2021 assembly elections, has decided to abstain from contesting, fueling their hopes.
For the Congress at its electoral nadir, it is a do or die fight. It is pinning its hopes on the political clout of its late MLA, but is leaving no stone unturned. The government’s recent decision to opt for geo-tagging routes instead of laying physical stones to mark the alignment of the controversial rail project has been regarded by the opposition as an early victory for its campaign. Congress is trying to capitalize on it. But the party is facing troubles in the matter of infighting and migration of senior leaders to the Left camp in Ernakulam. Interestingly, he is also expected to benefit from not being in the Twenty20 ground.
Kitex, which sponsors Twenty20, is at loggerheads with both the company’s CPI(M) and Congress over allegations of polluting a river near the company’s apparel unit. The party, which wields power in some panchayats and wields some clout in the region, has now forged an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, which is trying to re-establish itself in Kerala. It has decided not to favor either side, but the fact remains that the group does not have a captive vote base in the constituency. But given the gravity of the ‘apolitical’ vote, both the major fronts are going soft on the new entity.
In addition, the Catholic Church is at the center of the election campaign with the UDF accusing the leftist candidate of being a candidate for church leader and making statements against ‘unnecessarily dragging’ leftist religious institutions to politics. The late Congress legislator was personaless to the church, but the church has now officially taken a similar stand. Attempting to woo Christian voters is the BJP-led NDA, which is swaying for the Islamophobic positions of some church leaders.
Major fronts have put all their bets in this by-election and are hopeful that it will yield political gains. It is only natural that Thrikkakara is now in all the buzz in Kerala.
anandan.s@thehindu.co.in