CPM camp scared of us, says Adam Mulsi

Kozhikode: The UDF camp hopes Beypore to come its way this time with the young Congress leader, Adam Mulsi, locking horns with CPM veteran V.K.C. Mammad Koya. The UDF camp says last time's margin of victory for the LDF is not invincible.

Mr Mulsi said his team was working in the constituency for the past ten years mobilising people and exposing sitting legislator Elamaram Kareem, the former industries minister.

“Our campaign coupled with the corruption charges against Mr Karim resulted in the CPM not giving him another chance," he told DC. “The fact that Mr Koya did not resign as mayor of the city exposes widespread scare in the CPM camp about his win.”

Meanwhile, friends of Mr Mulsi camping in the constituency and monitor his campaign have also started introducing novel ideas. One of his poll managers C.V. Cherian said they were much confident this time.

“We have no allegations against VKC but for the people, an accessible guy would be a better option than a busy VKC, who is more a businessman than a politician," he told DC. “Moreover, VKC was chosen by people to be mayor of the city. It is sad that CPM has no other leaders to fight against Mr Mulsi.”

A CPM bastion since its inception Congress won the seat only twice - in 1997 and 1980 - in its history. The poll managers of Mr Koya are fully confident that his popularity and Mr Clean image would help him double the winning majority this time.

Mr Koya is focusing on area-level family meets and brushing up the intimacy with the voters. There are no other leaders who stood by the masses when the Marad massacre left a scar on the social psyche of the region, they say. He had won the seat in 2001 and later backed out for Mr Karim, who retained the constituency by a margin of 19,618 votes.