KANNUR: Together they held the white flag of the Students Federation of India once and together they received the caning of the police while leading fierce protests. However, when DYFI state president A.N. Shamseer takes on his former comrade and Congress leader A.P Abdulla Kutty in Thalassery constituency, there are no old memories to cherish.
When the CPM is targeting to better its 26,509 votes margin grabbed by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in 2011, the Congress is looking for an upset in this red citadel. When Abdulla Kutty was SFI state president, Shamseer was Kannur district vice-president and Kannur University’s first union chairman.
Abdulla Kutty was a student of Kannur S.N. College and when he won from Kannur Lok Sabha constituency twice (1999-2009), Shamseer was in the forefront of his campaigning. “Those are old stories. The fight is political and not personal. He is going to taste his first defeat here,” said Shamseer who has already completed two rounds of campaigning.
“He is talking about Kannur’s development and nothing has happened during his term as MLA there,” Shamseer added. Abdulla Kutty never lost an election before, but this time things are not easy for him in Thalaserry which is known for its Communist affinity.
“I am confident of winning in Thalassery. During my term as MP and MLA, I have taken up many development projects in Kannur and that will definitely help me to score here,” Abdulla Kutty said.
