KANNUR: Mattannur is a traditional CPM stronghold. The Mattannur Municipality and all eight panchayats in the constituency are under the LDF rule.
When the party strongman and central committee member E.P. Jayarajan is seeking a mandate for a second time from here, the CPM is in no fear of a fight. In fact, no party in the UDF is interested in contesting here.
Though last time the JD(U) fielded their candidate, this time, it is learnt that the party made it clear to the Congress that they don’t want a seat where there is no surety of winning. During the last elections, Mr Jayarajan won by a majority of 30, 512 votes.
Mattannur was formed in 2011, carving out eight panchayats from Kuthuparamba, Irikkur and Peravoor constituencies and attaching Mattannur Municipality. All the panchayats attached are traditional CPM bastions except Kolayad won by the UDF when the constituency was formed.
Though the CPM will highlight the Rs 256-crore development projects realised by Mr Jayarajan, the trump card of the UDF is the Kannur International Airport.
The trial landing function at the airport organised by the state government, which the CPM boycotted, had made news last month. Though great participation of people caused damage to the party’s prestige, the CPM firmly believes that the ‘trial landing gimmick’ would not influence voters.
If the JD (U) is not interested, the Congress is planning to field its candidate. In that case, DCC vice-president Chandran Thillankeri would be its choice. BJP is also planning to field a strong candidate to show their strength which is growing. Last elections, the BJP candidate and Yuva Morcha state vice-president Biju Elakkuzhi got 8,707 votes.
