The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started its campaign in key constituencies, especially those in Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod districts.
Posters and banners have appeared in many of the 40 constituencies for which the party has named its candidates. The candidates for the remaining 100 constituencies are expected to be announced later this week.
The party is in talks with social and religious organisations to win their support. The candidates are calling on their party leaders and workers and important persons in their constituencies. House-to-house campaigns will take off in full swing only after the United Democratic Front and the Left Democratic Front announce their candidates.
“The BJP is bowling without an opponent now,” remarked a party leader.
The party had undertaken booth-level work to energise its cadres as part of its Kerala march. Now area conventions are being organised at various centres.
The party is highlighting price rise, unemployment, corruption and terrorism as major issues in the campaign. The questions of self-sufficiency for Kerala and equity and justice for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes are also being raised.
In Thiruvananthapuram district, where the party's top leaders, including the former Union Minister of State for Railways O. Rajagopal, are contesting, the party is highlighting what it calls the lack of development of the capital city. Party spokesman George Kurian said the city was behind almost every capital city in the country. It was plagued by the poor condition of roads and sanitation, a shortage of safe drinking water and health problems. Those who had ruled the State had done little for the development of the city.
