Campaign scene in Ernakulam Parliament constituency has become more intense with formal notification for the elections being issued on Saturday.
United Democratic Front candidate K.V. Thomas started his campaign on Saturday by visiting the legendary music composer M.K. Arjunan at his residence in Thoppumppady.
Later, he participated at the aa nayoottu (feeding the elephant) function at a temple in Palluruthy. A large gathering of workers received the candidate at Broadway where he interacted with traders and people. The amount collected by the workers towards election deposit was handed over to him at a function held at Market Road junction. Mr. Thomas will file the nomination on Monday.
A day after he was introduced before the electorate through a public debate, the LDF-backed independent candidate Christy Fernandez hit the campaign trail in the right earnest. He was busy through out the day interacting with the voters of Tripunithura and Ernakulam Assembly constituencies.
The LDF campaign team is confident that “Meet Christy” programme on Friday has helped remove the initial apprehensions and reservations about the candidate in the minds of the electorate and even among the party rank and file. Mr. Fernandez is likely to file the nomination on March 20 or 21. LDF wrapped up the day with a convention attended among others by former ministers in the LDF government T.M. Thomas Isaac and C. Divakaran.
BJP candidate A.N. Radhakrishnan who had a head start over rivals on campaigning front focused on meeting key voters in Kalamassery, Tripunithura, and Ernakulam Assembly constituencies on Saturday. The Assembly constituency conventions of BJP would be held from March 19 to 23. Mr. Radhakrishnan will file nomination on Monday.
