Kerala Assembly elections | The campaign trail at Dharmadam constituency

On Wednesday, residents of Kakkoth, a small ward in Chembilode panchayat within the Dharmadam constituency in Kannur, have been in jubilation.

Children waving purple and white balloons and others holding ornamental umbrellas stood on each side of the street. The scorching afternoon warmth hardly appeared to trouble them. But their eyes lit up upon listening to the sound of crackers bursting and drums beating.

They would quickly catch a glimpse of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, visiting the ward as a part of the Left Democratic Front’s election campaign. Many jostled to click on pictures of the CM, who stood talking from a make-shift podium.

Mr. Vijayan stated the Congress, the BJP and the Indian Union Muslim League had no clue about going through the LDF and therefore have been spreading baseless rumours. “They allege that the LDF is a authorities that helps the corporates. But they’re those who truly assist them. People know the BJP’s coverage, which is to make the wealthy richer and the poor poorer,” he stated.

“People have to be conscious. I appeal to you to vote for the LDF to ensure a secular State, for development and to build a new Kerala,” stated the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, a number of kilometres away, C.K. Padmanabhan, the NDA candidate within the Dharmadam constituency, too was within the thick of campaigning. “Though flex boards and partitions right here appear to be stuffed with footage of the Chief Minister, the lotus occupies the minds of the individuals right here,” he stated emphatically.

BJP nationwide president J.P. Nadda with C.K. Padmanabhan, the NDA candidate at Dharmadam, throughout a roadshow within the constituency not too long ago.  
| Photo Credit:
S.K. Mohan

Mr. Padmanabhan’s electioneering acquired a lift a number of days in the past when BJP nationwide president J.P. Nadda campaigned for him at Chakkarakkal in Anjarakandy panchayat.

‘Kurukshetra battle’

Referring to the upcoming elections as “a historical Kurukshetra battle”, Mr. Padmanbhan appealed to the individuals to vote for the lotus image to make sure that the advantages of improvement initiatives carried out by the Narendra Modi authorities reached each nook and nook of the State. “Due to the fear unleashed by the Marxist party, many prefer to remain silent here. They see the BJP as an alternative in order to live fearlessly and peacefully,” he stated.

“We are trying to build a new country that is free of corruption and one that sees development in all fronts. For this, we have introduced the slogan ‘A new Kerala with Narendra Modi’,” he stated.

KPCC working president K. Sudhakaran with C. Raghunath, the UDF candidate within the Dharamadam constituency.
 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

On one other road in Chakkarakkal, an enormous hoarding of the UDF candidate C. Raghunath stands tall. Though a robust candidate like Congress MP K. Sudhakaran was initially thought-about within the constituency, the UDF permitted Mr. Raghunath’s nomination within the closing minutes. However, Mr. Raghunath stated that he took all of it in a optimistic stride as he received sufficient “publicity” from the episode.

During campaigning, he stops at an anganwadi performing from a poky rented location in Muzhappalingad, the place he turns visibly emotional. Assuring assist in setting up a correct anganwadi, he stated it was unlucky that such a state of affairs existed in an LDF panchayat.

Expressing confidence of a victory, he stated that not like Mr. Vijayan, he was a grassroots-level employee and would all the time be obtainable for the individuals.