Campaigning for elections to the State Assembly has turned high-pitch in the five constituencies of Idukki district, which is predominantly agrarian and is devoid of a general trend in favour or against a front or a candidate. The main feature of the electoral fight is that in three constituencies — Peerumade, Devikulam and Idukki — the contestants are the same persons who fought the last Assembly elections.
However, all eyes are on Thodupuzha where P.J. Joseph, the sitting MLA, is pitted against Joseph Augustine. Mr. Joseph, who was a minister in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, is now fighting from the rival front after the merger of his party, Kerala Congress (Joseph), with the Kerala Congress (Mani) and its entry into the United Democratic Front (UDF). The LDF, instead of fielding a party candidate, has chosen to support the Independent candidate, Joseph Augustine.
Though the issues created by the merger and the stiff opposition from the Congress seem to have settled down, it remains to be seen how the voters would react to the change in loyalty of the candidate and its likely impact on other constituencies.
More than political developments, issues ranging from condition-free title deeds to farmers, the Idukki package, crisis in the tea estate sector, land distribution to the landless are the poll planks this time round. Both the fronts are focussing on personal interaction with voters and constituency visits.
In the Lok Sabha elections in 2004, the local body elections in 2005 and the Assembly elections in 2006, the LDF won a clear verdict while in the last Lok Sabha elections, the UDF won by a margin of 57,263 votes. However, in the elections to local bodies, it declined to 45,450 votes. The UDF won the lone Municipality of Thodupuzha and 43 of the 53 grama panchayats. It won all the wards of the block panchayats and all the divisions of the district panchayat. In the last Assembly elections, the LDF gained all the segments except Udumbanchola where Roshy Augustine of the Kerala Congress (M) won by the highest margin in the district.
Though the contours of the constituencies has undergone change with delimitation, the total number and the constituencies remain the same since 1977.
All the five sitting MLAs are in the fray and the BJP too has fielded party candidates in all constituencies. The BJP camp is in an upbeat mood after improving its vote share and winning wards in panchayats and the Municipality of Thodupuzha in the last local body elections.
The majority of voters are farmers in Idukki and Udumbanchola and Thodupuzha, while estate workers constitute a major chunk of the electorate in Peerumade and Devikulam. The presence of a large section of tribespeople voters scattered across the forest settlement areas who do not have traditional party leanings will also be a decisive factor in the district.
In Thodupuzha constituency, the announcement of the candidature of P.J. Joseph by KC (M) leader K.M. Mani even before the official announcement of the candidate by the UDF had resulted in violent clashes between Congress activists and KC(M) workers. A section of the Congress workers revolted against him and the UDF camp was in a dilemma over whether to seek votes for a candidate who it had opposed in the previous elections. UDF sources say the front is united now and fully supports Mr. Joseph. The LDF chose to support an Independent candidate, Joseph Augustine, who was with Mr. Joseph before the merger. The LDF camp is banking on the dissident votes from the UDF. The BJP has fielded party State vice-president P.M. Velayudhan, who hopes to make inroads in the constituency in the post-merger scenario of the KC(J) with KC(M).
The Devikulam constituency is marked by the predominance of estate workers, especially of Tamil origin. The sittiing MLA, S. Rajendran, of the CPI (M) is pitted against A.K. Mani of the Congress, who represented the constituency twice before Mr. Rajendran. This is the only Scheduled Caste reserved constituency in the district where trade union organisations such as the AITUC, INTUC and CITU have considerable presence among estate workers. BJP candidate S. Rajagopal is also in the fray. Both the fronts have started systematic campaign through squad work in the vast estate lines in Munnar. Both candidates are of Tamil origin and caste factors play an important role in the silent electoral campaign. The main poll issues raised by the LDF are distribution of land to the landless estate workers and Adivasis. The widely publicised Munnar land issue and encroachment are relatively a low issue for discussion among voters and campaigners. Mr. Mani promises development of the constituency and more support to the poor while Mr. Rajendran promises more measures to reach out to the working class.
K.K. Jayachandran of the CPI (M), the sitting MLA, is seeking a third consecutive term in Udumbanchola constituency where the Congress has fielded Jossy Sebastian, a new face in the district election scene. Mr. Sebastian's candidature was announced at a later stage and there were rumblings in the Congress against fielding a candidate who is from outside the district. The UDF, however, unitedly supported him. He has completed ward-level conventions and constituency visits. Mr. Jayachandran believes the condition-free title deed will be the main point of discussion among the voters. He hopes various infrastructure development projects would stand him in good stead. Mr. Sebastian says that there is tardy development in the constituency and various schemes for farmers have not been implemented. He is seeking vote for development of the constituency. The BJP's S. Narayanaraju is also in the fray.
In Idukki constituency, the main rivals are the two consecutive time MLA Roshy Augustine of the KC(M) and C.V.Varghese of the CPI (M). The rivals fought the last Assembly elections too and both the fronts raise farmers' issues and development of the constituency as the main poll plank. Mr. Augustine has promised to bring a medical college to the constituency while Mr. Varghese says a complete tourism package would enhance the economy of the constituency. He believes the steps taken by the LDF government in issuing condition-free title deeds to the farmers will bring a wave in his favour. The BJP is represented by C.C. Krishnan.
In Peerumade constituency, it is a repetition of the old electoral fight between the sitting MLA E.S. Bijimol and E.M. Augusthy of the Congress, who represented the constituency twice before. The issues plaguing the tea estate areas are raised by both the LDF and UDF. While Ms. Bijimol claims that a large number of tea estates were opened and the distribution of rice at Rs. 2 a kg to estate workers as her major achievement, Mr. Augusthy says the estate workers are deprived of benefits and their plight needs to be changed with a concrete plan. Both the fronts promise infrastructure development and solution to the drinking water problems in the constituency.
BJP has fielded its district president P.P. Sanu here. He hopes to make inroads and claims that the voters are fed up with the two main fronts and independent votes will come in his favour.
