Intense campaign on in Alappuzha

With just one week left for the Assembly polls, electioneering has reached a fever pitch in the Alappuzha constituency the place an intense battle is on the playing cards.

On Monday, Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate P.P. Chitharanjan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] campaigned in Aryad and Mararikulam South. He says that the individuals are glad and exudes confidence about his victory. Mr. Chitharanjan is searching for votes to proceed the event initiatives.

United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate K.S. Manoj, who’s combating the polls on the Congress ticket, met voters in Chathanad, Kattoor, Mararikulam and so on. He is pinning hopes on allegations, particularly the deep-sea fishing deal, in opposition to the LDF authorities to wrest the seat.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Sandeep Vachaspati of the Bharatiya Janata Party can be engaged in a spirited campaign.

Favoured each

The constituency has a historical past of supporting each the LDF and the UDF. The Congress held the seat from 1996 to 2011. However, following a delimitation course of, it tilted in direction of the Left with current Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac rising victorious in 2011 and 2016 polls with snug margins. In the earlier election, Dr. Isaac defeated his nearest rival Laly Vincent of the Congress by 31,032 votes.

With Dr. Isaac not in the fray, and varied different elements influencing the polls, nobody is anticipating a cakewalk in the constituency this time. It is dwelling to numerous fisherfolk. The stand of Latin Christians, Ezhavas and different distinguished communities will play a job in deciding the outcomes.

The Alappuzha Diocese not too long ago aired issues over the deep-sea fishing deal signed between the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation and a U.S.- based mostly agency. Although the State authorities final month invalidated the deal, it stays a sizzling campaign subject for the UDF and the NDA right here.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the UDF candidate had taken a slender lead of 69 votes in the Assembly phase. The LDF, nevertheless, romped to victory in all grama panchayts — Aryad, Mannanchery, Mararikulam South and Mararikulam North — together with the Alappuzha municipality (wards 1 to 19 and 45 to 50 fall in the Alappuzha Assembly constituency, whereas the remainder of the wards kind a part of the Amabalappuzha constituency) in the native physique polls.