Kerala - Kollam   

Rajendran endears himself to the electorate

By Our Staff Reporter

The LDF candidate, P. Rajendran, on the campaign trail in Kollam on Wednesday.

KOLLAM, MAY 5. As the representative of Kollam in the 13th Lok Sabha, P. Rajendran, may not have been able to change the face of the constituency. But during the four and a half year stint as the MP of Kollam, he has been able to endear himself to the people. That is the factor working in his favour as the LDF candidate from Kollam.

The LDF is also banking on the reported anti-incumbency factor against the UDF Government to ensure another term to Mr. Rajendran in the Lok Sabha.

Their calculations are that Mr. Rajendran would not only win but also register an appreciable improvement in his vote tally in the 1999 election above his nearest UDF rival. The public sector cashew factories that remain closed since the UDF came to power is by itself seen as the prime anti-incumbency factor at work in favour of the LDF at Kollam. Though the Capex factories had reopened on Monday, the LDF camp is on a campaign exercise to convince the cashew workers that "it is just an election stunt'' and that the factories would close down again soon after the elections.

In fact, the cashew sector votes are crucial here and the general mood in the sector is pro-LDF, they claim. On the campaign front too, the LDF was seen to be placed in a better position. There was not only coordination between the LDF constituents at the leadership level, but even the rank and file of the constituents came out in large numbers to campaign for Mr. Rajendran. Meanwhile, apart from the local factors, the campaigns undertaken by the LDF in the constituency also took care to drive home the fact that the LDF "is in a better position than the Congress to save the nation from the pro-communal BJP and safeguard the democratic and secular traditions of the nation''.

The thrust given by the LDF to gain the upper position through a systematic Assembly segment-wise campaign is also paying rich dividends, campaign managers said. They claim that Mr. Rajendran is well placed in five out of the seven Assembly segments in the constituency. "The improvement has been from a candidate with victory prospects during the initial days of the campaign to the one who is going to win with a big margin,'' they said.

Whatever may be the criticism, the people by and large are convinced that it was during the stint of Mr. Rajendran as MP that the foundation stone for the much-awaited SP office junction flyover was laid, the second phase of the Kollam by-pass was commissioned, steps taken to open a sub regional Provident Fund office at Kollam, and the status of the ESI Hospital been upgraded. On the information technology front too, he had made many contributions, the LDF camp argues.

The office of Mr. Rajendran as MP was also viewed as an establishment which had been hospitable and extended quick response to those going there for help. The medical aid from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund released through Mr. Rajendran's office was a record of sorts. These are some of the factors which the LDF hopes will ensure Mr. Rajendran's victory from Kollam.

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