Kerala - Alappuzha   

LDF wrests Alappuzha

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA, MAY 13. It was a re-enactment of the David vs Goliath fight in Alappuzha when the results of the 14th Lok Sabha elections were announced. The LDF candidate, K.S. Manoj, a political novice vanquished the UDF candidate and a political heavy weight, V.M. Sudheeran, at the hustings.

Incidentally, Mr. Sudheeran who first tasted victory in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections in Alappuzha tasted his first defeat also in Alappuzha in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In between he had been elected four times to the Lok Sabha and two times to the State Assembly. Mr. Sudheeran's maiden victory came at a time when a pro-Congress wave swept the State in the elections held after emergency. In that elections Mr. Sudheeran, a fresher, defeated the CPI (M) politburo member, E. Balanandan. Now, Mr Sudheeran's defeat comes at a time when an anti-Congress wave sweeps the State.

Although Mr. Sudheeran had put up a good fight even in his defeat, the fact that Mr. Sudheeran failed to convince the UDF workers and the public about his stand on various issues cannot be dismissed lightly. Before the 14th Lok Sabha elections Mr. Sudheeran had declared that he would not contest in elections in future. But he changed his stand later reportedly following pressure from the Congress high command. When the CPI (M) announced K.S. Manoj as the LDF candidate in Alappuzha, many thought that he would not be able to put up a good fight as he lacked the political experience to take on Mr. Sudheeran, a seasoned politician. But the campaign of Mr. Manoj proved that the people preferred the artless nature of Mr. Manoj to the antics of Mr. Sudheeran.

When adversity struck it struck from all sides for Mr. Sudheeran. The Congress workers were not very active in the constituency. Two leaders of the party in Alappuzha resigned from the campaign committee. The fact that Mr. Sudheeran lacked a central election committee was a pointer to the lack of coordination in the campaign.

The Congress leaders did not take steps to politicise the election. At their meeting they had remarked that Mr. Sudheeran's charisma would win the seat for the UDF. They did not bother to explain their stand to the party workers. A large number of Congress workers had complained that Mr. Sudheeran did not bother to listen to their complaints and help them. Workers resigned from the party at many places and joined the LDF. This had also created an undercurrent of opposition against Mr. Sudheeran.

Mr Sudheeran's fight on the issue of mineral sand-mining had created enemies for him in the UDF. The CPI (M) had pointed out that Mr. Sudheeran's opposition to sand-mining was not real as he did not oppose the decision of the UDF government in 1995 to give mining license to a private group. In the final analysis it was not communal consolidation but the failure of the UDF to make the fight political that cost it the constituency. Mr. Sudheeran's charisma also did not save him.

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

Kerala

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• LDF wrests Alappuzha

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu