The Vengara assembly constituency has begun to feel the electioneering heat with four more days to go for the October 11 byelection.
Top leaders of major political parties, particularly that of the Congress, CPI(M), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are camping at Vengara wooing voters and whipping up passions among them.
IUML general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, whose relinquishment of the assembly seat to contest to the Lok Sabha from Malappuram necessitated the byelection in Vengara, continued to be the biggest crowd-puller in the last two days.
The roadshows he led through the constituency comprising A.R. Nagar, Kannamangalam, Othukkungal, Oorakam, Vengara and Parappur grama panchayats attracted good crowds.
CPI(M) leaders such as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan too attracted large audiences at Kunnumpuram, Parappur, Achanambalam and Othukkungal on Friday.
The BJP will make its biggest show in Vengara on Sunday when State president Kummanam Rajasekharan’s Janaraksha Yatra enters the district.
The rally will be received at the district boundary in the morning. Mr. Rajasekharan will address the crowds at Vengara on Sunday evening.
Union Minister for Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar will inaugurate the meet. Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain will be the chief guest.
Minority Morcha national president Abdul Rasheed Ansari inaugurated a morcha convention at Vengara on Friday. BJP State leaders C.K. Padmanabhan and K. Surendran addressed election rallies on Friday.
IUML State president Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, addressing a family meet on Friday, said the byelection would be a verdict against the liquor policy of the LDF government.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president M.M. Hassan accused the CPI(M) of displaying soft stand towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP.
“The CPI(M) is treading a soft Hindutva path. That’s why it offers maximum support and protection to BJP’s Janaraksha Yatra,” Mr. Hassan said.
Lashing out at the policies of the Central and State governments, leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the people in the State were caught between the devil and the deep sea.
The three major candidates, K.N.A. Khader (UDF), P.P. Basheer (LDF) and K. Janachandran (BJP), on Friday expressed confidence as they entered the third round of electioneering.
UDF leaders said that Mr. Khader would cross the lead of 38,057 votes registered by Mr. Kunhalikutty in 2016.
