Loud speakers all over Kerala will fall silent by 4.30 pm on Sunday as a prelude to the polling to elect the 20 Lok Sabha members from the State on Tuesday. Saturday saw Priyanka Vadra, the AICC General Secretary, campaigning at Wayanadu for her brother Rahul Gandhi who is the Congress candidate from the constituency.
Kerala which has been facing all past elections as a contest between the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the CPI-M led Left Democratic Front is witnessing a triangular fight this time with the BJP led National Democratic Alliance joining the fray in style. While in the past elections, the Hindutwa party contested and finished as also ran, it is not the same this time.
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress President himself declared at Wayanadu that this election was between his party and the BJP which took the steam out of the CPI-M leaders. Barring the two Muslim-dominated constituencies of Malappuram and Ponnani (which are the strongholds of Muslim League) , the NDA candidates are giving a scare to both the Fronts.
There is a discernible feeling all over the State that the BJP may end up winning one or two seats, according to P Rajan, Kerala’s senior most political journalist and who has been associated with all the general elections since 1952. “What I see is a pointer towards BJP victory in one or two Lok Sabha constituencies . The Sabarimala agitation has brought the Hindus together to a certain extent. Even if they do not win any seats, the BJP is likely to end up the race with at least 20 per cent popular votes,” Rajan told The Pioneer.
The election rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be the game changer which BJP was waiting for. TP Srinivasan, a former diplomat and a known-Modi critic made an appearance on the state and asked the people to elect Kummanam Rajasekharan, former Governor of Mizoram, who is the BJP candidate. Taking into account the poor campaign of C Divakaran, the LDF candidate and the resentment towards Sashi Tharoor, the Congress party nominee, chances are that Rajasekharan may touch the finishing line ahead of others.
Another BJP candidate who has created a sensation is K Surendran who is contesting from Pathanamthitta, home to the shrine of Sabarimala . If the public response to Surendran’s campaign is any indication, chances are that the 2019 election may be a turning point in Kerala’s political history. But the CPI-M is known for transferring its share of vote to the Congress in the eventuality of the Hindutwa party putting up a brave fight. “I don’t think it may work this time because the Hindus in the State are upset with the CPI-M for the Sabarimala issue. The Marxists are under the impression that they could consolidate the power by pampering to the minorities. That phase of politics is coming to an end in Kerala,” said Rajan.
Tuesday will see the people of Kerala deciding the fate of Union Minister Alphonse Kannanthanam (BJP), former union minister PC Thomas (NDA), Suresh Gopi (BJP), Innocent (CPI-M) and M B Rajesh (CPI-M). An interesting triangular contest is on at Alathur (ST) between Ramya Haridas of the Congress and the candidates fielded by the UDF and the LDF. Ramya, a tribal girl, handpicked by Rahul Gandhi through his talent hunt programme has already become a semsation in the State because of her simplicity and acceptability to the common man. The CPI-M has unleashed a barrage of attacks against her which violated all ethics associated with campaigning.