Stakes high for LDF

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With stakes high for the ruling front in the forthcoming bypolls to the five Assembly constituencies, the LDF state committee and  CPM state secretariat are holding an emergency meetings on September 24 to finalise their candidates.

Of the five assembly constituencies only Aroor was held by the ruling LDF and the rest by Opposition UDF. However, the LDF camp believes it has a good chance of wresting some of the seats from the UDF on the strength of LDF government’s performance and the overall political situation prevailing in the state.

Going by the ground situation and the political arithmetic, many say the LDF appears to be have a good chance of retaining Aroor even though Shanimol Osman of the Congress managed to secure a slender of lead polling  65,656 as compared to 65,008 by A.M. Arif of CPM. The CPM is considering various na-mes including Alappzha district secretary CPM district secretary R Nasser, Matsyafed chairman P.P. Chitranjan and DYFI leader Mani C. Pulikkan. In Majeshwar-am and Ernakulam the CPM candidates could secure between 30,000 to 33,000 votes.   Though the UDF candidates polled  60,000 to 68,000 votes in these constituencies, the Left camp says  the situation in Lok Sabha poll was entirely different. Rahul Gandhi’s arrival in Kerala and Sabarimala were among the factors that led to the rout of LDF However, as on today the situation is favorable for the ruling front.

The CPM is considering Kunjambu and district leader K.R. Jayanad for Manjeshwaram. More names are likely to be discussed in the coming days.

The LDF leadership is hopeful of clinching Ko-nni Assembly constituency where the vote difference between Congress and CPM was less than 3000 in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The party is hopeful of bringing back the voters that had deserted the LDF in Lok Sabha polls.

The prestigious Vattiy-oorkavu constituency in state capital is going to witness the mother of all battles. The LDF performance had witnessed a slump in the Lok Sabha pols when it secured just 29414. The poll outcome would also depend  on the BJP candidate. Kumm-anam Rajashekharan had beaten CPM to secure second place in assembly polls.

Many names are doing the rounds including Ma-yor V.K. Prasanth,  chairman Kerala Handicraft Developemnt Corpora-tion K.R. Sunil Kumar, former speaker M Vijay-akumar, former Mayor C. Jayan Babu.

The name of IAS officer Kanan Gopinathan, who resigned from service to make his voice heard against he suspension of fundamental rights in J&K is also being considered by the LDF.