KOTTAYAM: Cochlear implant is among benevolent schemes Chief Minister Oommen Chandy thinks will mark out his ministry. In electoral real terms, the hope is such schemes might fetch the extra vote to ensure a consecutive term for the UDF ministry. Mr Chandy wouldn’t say as much but it has become the hallmark of his slogan of “Development with care”. The implant has become a part of the political discourse and however much the Chandy detractors might argue it is no big deal, the fact is 640 children have benefited by the UDF initiative.
At a neighbourhood meet of diehard supporters on Friday at Manarcadu in Puthuppally, from where he seeks the mandate for the 11th time, Mr Chandy made no tall claims except that he extended the Rs 7-lakh cochlear implant scheme from the original 100 beneficiaries to all who require Government aid for rectifying the congenital hearing defect. He avoided any mention of big ticket schemes such as the fledgling airport project at Kannur or big container terminal at Vizhinjam.
On the sidelines of the neighbourhood meet, Mr Chandy brimmed with a comeback confidence: “Even in Malabar, there has been an upsurge at my meetings. Not sure whether it would all translate into electoral goodwill. But this is a phenomenal change over the last five years”. For Mr Chandy and supporters, the focus is the lead this time, from 7,288 votes in his debut contest in 1970 to 33,255 votes in 2011. Could it be more?
The LDF camp sneers at this. “Mr Chandy stands exposed in this election. Don’t be surprised if voters deal him a rap on the knuckle. Remember Mr Chandy was 26 years old, the same age as Jaick Thomas, when he took on E M George and launched his political career in 1970. Our candidate is a perfect foil to the veteran Chandy”, says Prof Suja Susan George, who unsuccessfully contested against Mr Chandy in 2011.
There is a bit of contrast here. Mr Jaick C Thomas has a clutch of criminal cases as per his affidavit. “He sullied his name with the violent stir at CMS College and for us in Puthuppally, the battle lines are clear: violence versus the persona of Chandy”, said Jis, a college student, who believes Mr Chandy is the best choice for Puthuppally.
Mr Jaick Thomas has completed one round of all 158 booths in the constituency. “I have enough youth with me to canvas support for the LDF. The rest will come our way”, he said, dismissing doubts about him being a novice to take on a Goliath. The NDA camp is even more sanguine. “I have met key decision-makers in all booths. This time will witness the image-busting of Mr Chandy, who has held his sway for the past 45 years in Puthuppally”, said NDA candidate George Kurien.
But poll-watchers, who prefer anonymity, wonder whether the NDA would get undiluted support from SNDP supremo Vellapally Natesan’s Bharat Dharma Jana Sena. “Will the NDA be able to break the bonding between Mr Chandy and Mr Natesan”, asks Prof Susan George.
