Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Fronts gear up for tough fight

Thiruvananthapuram: The campaign for the byelection to the Medical College ward is gaining momentum. The UDF, which is fighting to recapture the seat it lost to the LDF in the last elections, is slightly ahead of its main rival at the end of the first phase of the campaign.

The byelection was necessitated by the death of former councillor M. Ajithkumar of the CPI(M).

Both the LDF and UDF camps have completed block-level conventions and are preparing for door-to-door visits in the constituency. The rival camps have put up boards and banners all over the constituency.

The UDF has fielded former councillor and block general secretary T.V. Ajithkumar (Congress) to reclaim the seat. The LDF candidate is S. Anilkumar (CPI-M) , also a former councillor. The nomination of Cheruvakkal Jayan as the BJP candidate promises to make it a three-cornered contest.

The LDF camp is confident of retaining the seat. “All the factors are favourable to us,” says Gireesan, LDF campaign manager. The LDF is projecting the development activities taken up in the ward and the city over the last two years. “Our campaign is moving into top gear,” says Mr. Gireesan.

UDF leaders allege that the development spree had ground to a halt ever since the LDF won the seat in the last elections. “The councillor’s work was hampered by intense factional feud within his party,” says UDF election committee chairman Johnson Joseph. “Most of the development activities in the area were taken up during the tenure of the previous councillor,” he adds.

The fact that Mr. Ajithkumar is familiar to voters in the constituency is another plus point for him.

The UDF campaign is also highlighting the funds sanctioned by A.K. Antony under the MP Local Area Development Scheme for the construction of an anganwadi in the ward. Campaign managers are confident that the result would be favourable in all except one booth.

Senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran inaugurated the UDF booth conventions last week.

The leaders scheduled to participate in the next phase of the LDF campaign include Law Minister M. Vijayakumar, Mayor C. Jayan Babu, V. Sivankutty, MLA, and TRIDA chairman C. Ajayakumar.

The constituency goes to the polls on August 18. There are 8,500 voters in six booths, 200 of them, new voters.

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