Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who is on a second visit to the district in a week’s time as part of leading the campaign for the UDF candidate T. Siddique, had a hectic day in the in the traditionally Left stronghold of Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency.
Mr. Chandy, who arrived here late night on Monday, left for campaigning even without heeding the request of party leaders to have breakfast before heading for day-long electioneering scheduled at Paivalige, Uliyathadka, Uduma, Chitarikkal, Kolichal, Cherupuzha, Nileshwaram, Thrikkaripur, Padanna and Valiyaparamba in the district.
Mr. Chandy was expected to sort out the poll-related differences with other party leaders, according to sources in the UDF camp.
During his visit to Kolichal, Mr. Chandy and the UDF received a shot in the arm when P. C. Thomas, district secretary of K. R. Aravindakshan-led Communist Marxist Party (CMP) faction, which had recently switched sides with the LDF, pledged support of around 500 partymen from his camp to the UDF candidate, top UDF sources said here .
Addressing a series of poll meetings, Mr. Chandy mainly targeted BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Mody, labelling him as a divisive and communal force.
He accused the CPI(M) of unleashing politics of violence.
He also predicted serious erosion in the Left party’s mass support base after the general elections.
