Election campaign for civic elections in the district on October 23 is now entering its final phase as candidates and their supporters are busy visiting houses to meet voters while political parties are busy organising public meetings attended by leaders to give impetus to their electioneering.
Every street corner here sports posters and banners displaying names, photos and symbols of candidates as candidates and political parties are vying with each other to draw the voters’ attention. The Left Democratic Front (LDF), United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are competitive on the campaign front in many places.
Campaign meetings of political parties addressed by their senior leaders in different parts of the district have also livened up the election scene in the district as the countdown has begun. More leaders are expected to begin their whirlwind tour in the next few days. Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala have already completed their campaign tour of different parts of the district, accelerating the campaign machinery of the UDF. The visit of Union Minister for Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi on September 15 was also a morale booster for the UDF camp.
Among the leaders of the LDF who have already visited the district for the election campaign include Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi, Devaswom Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally and Communist Party of India assistant secretary K.E. Ismail. The major focus of their campaign was ‘pro-people’ schemes launched by the LDF government during the past four-and-a-half years. More LDF leaders including Communist Party of India (Marxist) secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan would be visiting here in the coming days.
BJP State president V. Muraleedharan hit the party’s campaign trail here a few days ago, while its senior leader O. Rajagopal will be visiting here on October 18 to pep up the party’s rank and file.
The LDF and the UDF have also been giving special attention to ward conventions and family gatherings to secure more votes for their respective candidates. The campaign is expected to be fiercer in the remaining days.
