The Hindu : Choice of candidate key factor in Kozhikode

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 07, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Choice of candidate key factor in Kozhikode

By R. Madhavan Nair

KOZHIKODE, MARCH 6. The selection of the candidate to contest under the UDF banner in the Lok Sabha poll from Kozhikode is going to be crucial to the outcome of the election, say veteran leaders of the front here.

In the strenuous exercise under way in Thiruvananthapuram, no decision had been taken so far on the candidate for the Kozhikode seat, according to senior leaders who are involved in the candidate-selection process.

But as the selection process enters its last phase, A. Balaram and K.P. Unnikrishnan are ahead of the rest in the race for the Congress ticket for the Kozhikode seat. Both enjoy the strong backing of the Congress groups in Kozhikode constituency.

Mr. Balaram who has vacated the Assembly seat in Wadakkancherry to clear the way for a by-election to enable the Electricity Minister, K. Muraleedharan, to become an MLA, is the `I' group's favourite. Mr. Unnikrishnan, who has had a long innings in the Lok Sabha both as a representative of the UDF and later the LDF from the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat, is also a strong contender.

If the Congress State election committee fails to arrive at a consensus, the final decision will have to be left to the high command.

"A politician who is known to the voters of the constituency and has established his political credentials should be fielded if the Congress really wants to repeat its win from this constituency. Especially since the LDF candidate, M.P. Veerendrakumar, is a familiar face to the voters and enjoys high political stature. Moreover, he he once pulled off a victory over Mr. Muraleedharan, also from Kozhikode," a senior party leader remarked.

Congress leaders point out that success in the Lok Sabha election from the Kozhikode seat is important for the Congress as the region had been once the headquarters of the Congress movement in North Kerala. It was only after the amalgamation of Travancore, Cochin and Malabar into Kerala State in 1956 that the party head office was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram.

The struggle for Independence led by the Congress was also more vigorous in the erstwhile Malabar region, which was made up of the districts now in North Kerala, than in other parts of the State.

In the frontline of the party those days were K. Kelapan, Mohammed Abdu Rahiman Sahib and Kesava Menon who are still revered names among party workers here. This is also the principal reason why senior leaders in Kozhikode are keen to keep the party flag flying high in Kozhikode.

Kozhikode had elected to the Lok Sabha some of stalwarts of State politics. Among them were the IUML leader, C.H. Mohammed Koya, V.A. Syed Mohammed, Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait and K G Dr Adiyodi.

Mr. Balaram, who enjoys the backing of the Karunakaran group, is undoubtedly a strong contender for the Congress ticket. But Mr. Unnikrishnan's candidature is also being supported by an almost equally strong group.

In 1970, Mr. Unnikrishnan had made his debut in big time politics as a surprise choice of the Congress in Vadakara and had won. Later he quit the Congress and joined the Congress (S) but pulled off a series of victories from the Vadakara seat itself as the LDF candidate.

Few have doubts about his abilities as a parliamentarian, which was in evidence in ample measure for more than two decades as an MP. He also has the added advantage of being from a family that boasts of a colourful Congress tradition.

Mr. Unnikrishnan's supporters also believe that the large number of Muslim voters of the constituency would throw their weight behind him for the active role he had played in helping Indians stranded in Kuwait during the invasion by Iraqi forces. Mr. Unnikrishnan, then a Union Minister in the V.P. Singh Ministry, was sent on a special mission to oversee arrangements to help Indians fleeing from invading Iraqi forces to return home.

Another advantage for Mr. Unnikrishnan would be that he is not identified with any group in the Congress and hence is likely to be an acceptable candidate to both groups in his party.

However, no one can say with certainty that new names would not crop up when the KPCC election panel meets again to draw up the list of candidates. The grapevine has it that P.C. Chacko might also be considered in the eleventh hour, if Mr. Balaram fails to garner enough strength among partymen to blunt the charge that he is an "outsider" for Kozhikode's voters.

If consensus cannot be reached, the list of aspirants for the Kozhikode seat would go to the high command for a decision. The Congress image has already been tainted by the recent infighting. Political quarrels had led to the defeat of Mr. Muraleedharan from this seat in an earlier election. If a wrong choice of candidate ignites another round of infighting, it would undoubtedly be politically disastrous for the Congress and the UDF in the Lok Sabha election from Kozhikode constituency on May 10.

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