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Campaign still on a low key in Neyyattinkara

J. Ajith Kumar

No perceptible advantage for either of the two fronts

ALL QUIET ON THE POLL FRONT: But for the posters in several parts of the municipality, campaigning is a low-key affair in Neyyattinkara. Photo: S. Gopakumar

NEYYATTINKARA: With a visible lack of enthusiasm on the part of the electorate and no perceptible advantage for either of the two fronts, electioneering still remains a low-key affair in the Neyyattinkara municipality.

The campaign managers attribute this lackadaisical attitude of the voters in general to the Onam season and the inclement weather conditions. They also seem to be hopeful that in the few days remaining before the voters march to the polling booths, the situation will change for the better.

The Neyyattinkara municipality has been under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule for the past 25 years. In the elections to the local bodies held in 2000, the Left Front secured 22 seats, the United Democratic Front (UDF) 14 seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was successful in capturing one of the 37 divisions.

However, five years down the line, the strength of the LDF in the council has reduced to 18, to even with the UDF (including three UDF independents), as one seat remains vacant.

In the past five years, the ruling front just managed to survive two no-confidence motions moved in the council.

If the post of chairman of the municipal council was reserved for Scheduled Castes last time, for the next five years, it has been set apart for women belonging to Scheduled Castes. The number of divisions has gone up to 41 this time and two of the wards have been allotted to Scheduled Caste women. Apart from these two wards, women candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes are contesting in two other wards and both have been fielded by the LDF. As many as 12 wards have been set apart for women and four for Scheduled Caste candidates.

The CPI(M) has candidates in 33 wards, the CPI in six and the Janata Dal and the NCP in one ward each. In the UDF fold, the Congress has fielded its candidates in 37 divisions, leaving one each to the Indian Union Muslim League, the Kerala Congress(Mani), the CMP and the RSP(M).

The BJP has 15 candidates in the fray and it is also supporting an Independent in the Alummoodu division, where all except one of the seven candidates belong to the same community.

Neyyattinkara is one municipality where the LDF has no truck with the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran). The DIC(K) had demanded 10 seats but was offered only three by the LDF. The talks having failed, it has fielded candidates in 16 divisions.

There is no rebel menace for any fronts or parties, even though disgruntlement certainly is there, especially in the LDF, on the issue of denial of party tickets to quite a few of the aspirants.

Outgoing chairman T. Sukumaran of the CPI(M) is not contesting this time, but vice-chairman R.V. Vijayabose is again in the fray. The LDF has fielded four sitting councillors and the UDF nine. There is a direct contest in four of the divisions and a triangular contest in 20.

There, in fact, is no issue worth the name raised by either front in the present elections. The UDF, of course, has been accusing the LDF, which had ruled the municipality for a quarter of a century, of having neglected developmental issues. The LDF counters this allegation by highlighting the completion of the municipal shopping complex and laying of roads in the town. However, the feeling of the voters seems to be that more development could have been possible over the years.

With no visible wave in favour of any political combination, but only strong political undercurrents felt in most of the wards, the electoral outcome is anybody's guess. Whichever front wins the maximum number of wards, the margin of seats in the council is unlikely to be big in Neyyattinkara.

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Campaign still on a low key in Neyyattinkara

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