Kerala - Kollam   

CMP taking it cool, CPI sweating it out

Ignatius Pereira

Raghavan takes on Raju in Punalur

KOLLAM: In the Communist Party of India (CPI) stronghold of Punalur, Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader and United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate M.V. Raghavan is taking it cool. Ironically, the CPI is sweating it out to retain Punalur. In sharp contrast to LDF expectations, attempts to brand Mr. Raghavan as an outsider and a nomadic candidate did not click in Punalur.

While that is the superficial picture of Punalur's election scene, the UDF camp is fully aware that the constituency's undercurrent still has a strong LDF bias. Victory for the UDF depends on how well the Raghavan charisma will be able to influence that undercurrent.

The LDF candidate, K. Raju of the CPI, is a native of the constituency and a practicing lawyer in the Punalur Court. He has built up his political career by serving in the constituency and has been able to cultivate vast and valuable personal relationships in Punalur. The LDF believes that such voters and the traditional support base are quite sufficient for the CPI to comfortably retain the seat. Since Mr. Raghavan is a well-known politician, he gets much attention but not the votes, CPI leaders say.

In the five elections, including a bypoll, held here since 1987, the CPI had won four times and lost to the UDF (Congress) only in 1991. For whatever reasons this time, here the CPI did not field the sitting MLA, P.S. Supal. The LDF camp insists that there is no row over that. But the UDF camp feels that there is discontent in the LDF camp which can come in the form of some covert support to the UDF candidate.

The majority of the Punalur voters are those associated with farming. Those in the rubber sector may have reasons to support the UDF. Others by and large appear to be openly with the LDF. Mr. Raju is constantly keeping in touch with these sections during the course of his campaign.

Since 1970 Mr. Raghavan had contested eight Assembly elections from eight different constituencies and lost only once. It began from Madai in 1970, then from Thaliparamba in 1977, Koothuparamba in 1980 and Payyannur in 1982 - all four as a CPI (M) candidate. In 1986 he formed the CMP and contested for the first time as a CMP candidate from Azhikode in 1987, then from Kazhakuttam in 1991, Aranmula in 1996 where he lost, and from Thiruvananthapuram West in 2001.

Mr. Raghavan had entered politics through the Communist movement in 1948. A firebrand CPI(M) leader at one time, he played a major role in building up the DYFI. It was following a personal direction from E.M.S. Namboodiripad that he contested the Assembly election for the first time from Madai in 1970. He had undergone a couple of jail terms for the CPI(M). Following differences of opinion with the CPI(M) leadership, he was expelled from the party in 1986. He then formed the CMP and his supporters from the CPI(M) joined the new party.

The 53-year-old Mr. Raju entered politics through the AISF, the student wing of the CPI, then became active in the AIYF and organised the workers of the Oil Palm India Limited and the Rehabilitation Plantations Limited. By that time he had proved to be an efficient trade union leader. He is at present the district executive member of the CPI and a State council member of the party.

With the support of the BJP, the Janata Dal(U) has fielded Kottiyam Naizam. But the main fight is between the UDF and the LDF. There are 1,57,942 voters in Punalur this time.

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