Southern States - Kerala   

The `I' factor in Thiruvalla by-election

By Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

Cut-outs of the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, and the KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, put up at a vantage point in Thiruvalla town by the `I' group.

PATHANAMTHITTA Nov. 25. With the `I' group in the State unit of the Congress launching a `direct action' against the UDF candidate in the Thiruvalla Assembly by-election in the last lap of the poll campaign, the electoral battle in the heart of the Central Tranvancore belt is likely to become murkier.

Though the `A' group in the party claims that a majority of the Congress leaders in the district are with it, the `I' group, with its cadre-style work over the past two-and-a-half years, could develop a `base' in the district, exploiting the `loose' organisational set-up there. And the `A' group appears to have taken the `small-scale erosion' of its cadres to the `I' camp lightly. The `I' group claims that the `erosion' is more in the panchayats of Kuttoor, Kaviyoor and Nedumpram and the Thiruvalla municipality.

The `I' group spokesmen and KPCC general secretaries, N. Venugopal and Rajmohan Unnithan, claim that they could sway at least 12,000 votes to whichever camp they want. They point out that the Congress candidate, A.T. Samuel, could poll 7,500 votes in the 1979 by-election from the constituency in a triangular contest involving both the fronts.

However, the `A' group leaders, Peelipose Thomas and K. Sivadasan Nair, claim that the 7,500 votes polled by Dr. Samuel were his personal votes. The `I' group, they say, has only a `feeble presence' in the constituency. They are hopeful that Elizabeth Mammen of the Kerala Congress(M), a constituent of the UDF, would romp home with a comfortable majority in the December 1 by-election.

According to Mr. Venugopal, the `I' group is determined to canvass 50 to 75 UDF votes from each of the 109 booths in the constituency for the LDF candidate, Varghese George of the Janata Dal(Secular), in a door-to-door campaign beginning tomorrow.

Cut-outs and posters of the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, and his son and KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, with the slogan, `Call Karunakaran,' have come up in different parts of the constituency, especially in the town area.

Meanwhile, there are also reports that the rift between the KC(M) and the Congress at Kaviyoor is widening. It is reported that a good number of the KC(M) cadres at Kaviyoor are those who had left the Congress sometime ago following the `infighting' in the party. The `I' group claims their `silent support' to the LDF candidate in the by-poll.

Lack of women's interest in a Mahila Congress meeting and Dalit presence at a Kerala Dalit Congress meet that were held as part of the campaign have caused heart burns to the `A' camp, according to political analysts.

SNDP for `conscience' vote

Our Special Correspondent adds from Kochi

The SNDP will remain neutral in the Thiruvalla by-election, the general secretary, Vellappally Natesan, has claimed.

The Ezhavas did not have a `preferred candidate' in Thiruvalla and they would cast their votes according to their conscience, he told mediapersons here on Tuesday. The SNDP did not take a stand on Thiruvalla as the by-election had no national significance. Only local issues dominated the poll. Moreover, in terms of number of votes the community came only fourth in Thiruvalla, he said.

He denied that there was a move to launch a political party. Of course, there was a `Vedi' (forum) formed by the SNDP, but it was not a political party. He also denied that there was a row between him and the SNDP president, C.K. Vidyasagar. It was a creation of the media, he claimed.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Status quo ordered at Kakkivani Malavaram
• Women's panel to seek legislation
• Id-ul-Fitr celebrated
• The `I' factor in Thiruvalla by-election
• At Sabarimala today
• 10 injured in CPI(M)-VHP clash near Marad
• Harassment: women's panel to seek legislation
• KSSP draws flak in DYFI organ
• MGP drew hardly any suggestions
• Utilise franchise wisely, says Catholicos
• Ravi Karunakaran dead

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu