MALAPPURAM: Tanur, an IUML bastion, is all set to see a fierce battle among the 16 constituencies in the Malappuram district. Even though the LDF candidates are yet to be declared, V. Abdurahman, a former KPCC member who unsuccessfully contested on the LDF ticket in the last Lok Sabha elections from Ponnani, began his campaign much ahead of his rival UDF candidate and sitting MLA, Abdurahman Randathani.
While the UDF pins its hopes in the statistics of the 2015 civic elections, the LDF banks on the 2014 Lok Sabha election outcome and a split in the local Congress votes.
Of the six local government bodies in the coastal constituency, Tanur Municipality and Ponmundam and Cheriyamundam panchayats are ruled by the Muslim League while Tanalur, Niramaruthur and Ozhur panchayats are with the LDF.
But the IUML had gone it alone in the civic polls.
Mr Randathani of the IUML had won the seat in 2011 by a majority of 9,433 votes. However, in 2014, Mr Abdurahman, the LDF-independent, could bring it down to 6,220. The LDF believes he would corner majority of the Congress votes as their former leader.
“We are sure about winning Tanur this time. The current situation in the constituency is favouring the LDF,” says CPM district secretary P.P. Vasudevan.“We have almost decided that Mr Abdurahman would be an LDF-independent here.”
Mr Randathani says he never considered the rival a worthy candidate to fight.
“Money power can’t be used to divert the voters’ attention from the developments of the past ten years in the constituency. Our position is clear, and we have a clear majority. It is proved in the civic elections,” he said.
