Close contest likely in Varkala
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Loudspeakers blaring, flags stiffly beating in the wind, a marketing campaign automobile – a decked-up, three-wheeler pickup – races previous. It turns a nook and shortly vanishes from sight, and silence reigns briefly on the small junction, one in all many, seemingly-identical ones dotting the Varkala municipality.
It has turn out to be more and more evident that the battle for Varkala will probably be a closely-fought one.
This impression will not be wholly misplaced on the candidates for the primary fronts, who, disregarding the slight drizzle and the leaden skies, have been out in energy on Saturday morning touring the wards.
Trudging up a steep, abandoned nation lane, Bindhu Haridas, the CPI(M) candidate, explains that Pullannikode is the largest of the 33 wards in the civic physique. Ms. Haridas, who was municipal chairperson in the 2015-2020 council, is on her fifth tour of the neighbourhood.
“This ward is spread over a very large area. There are 1,328 voters, 605 men and 723 women. We are very confident. The voters appear to be very cooperative,” Ms. Haridas explains, as she pauses to let her get together colleagues to catch up. Soon, she is asking on the houses of plenty of Tamil households who’re registered electors in the ward, handing out election slips and marketing campaign leaflets.
The CPI(M)-led LDF, which gained in 2015 with 18 seats, hopes to retain its maintain over the 33-seat council. If it does, it might create historical past because the municipality has by no means gifted the LDF or the UDF consecutive phrases.
The Congress-led UDF additionally exudes confidence about profitable, nevertheless it has a pesky drawback available in seven wards the place candidates of each Congress and entrance companion IUML are in the fray.
Scoffs BJP’s probabilities
Both fronts are unanimous in scoffing on the BJP’s prospects.
Nonetheless, the saffron get together attracts inspiration from having stood first in 19 wards when senior chief Sobha Surendran contested from Attingal in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. All these elements together with the irksome presence of rebels have ensured stiff triangular battles in a lot of the wards.
In the Maithanam ward, the official UDF candidate A. Salim steps as much as an aged couple seated outdoors their house.
“’Don’t forget the ‘hand’ symbol, okay? All votes for the UDF,” he pleads his case with a smile. Mr. Salim will get smiles in return. “’Last time, Maithanam was held by the LDF. But before that, it was a UDF ward. So we are confident of winning it back,” he says.
The undeniable fact that he additionally has to deal with an IUML candidate in the ward would not appear to alarm him. “The IUML doesn’t have much influence here They’re sure to end up fourth or fifth. Here the fight is between UDF and LDF,” he says.
Varkala municipality has 134 candidates in the fray this time.
In the LDF, the CPI(M) has fielded candidates in 28 seats and the CPI, in 5. The UDF has formally divided the 33 seats between the Congress (32) and RSP (1), however entrance companion IUML has fielded its personal candidates in seven. In the NDA, the BJP is contesting in 31 seats and ally BDJS, in two. Among the remaining, the PDP has 4 candidates and the Shiv Sena, three. There are additionally 21 independents in the fray.
Four excursions
By Saturday morning, G. Sunil Kumar, the BJP candidate in Jawahar Park, had accomplished 4 excursions of the ward.
“’We’ll go one more round after this,” says Mr. Sunil Kumar, who was the BJP parliamentary get together chief in the final council.
“’In 2015 we won three seats. But in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, we stood first in 19 wards here. Also, the people are aware that the LDF did little to develop the municipality during the past five years. This gives us confidence,” he provides.
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