Amid soaring mercury levels, electioneering has picked up pace in Kozhikode.
With just four more days to go for public campaign to end on April 4, candidates along with local leaders are criss-crossing the length and breath of their constituencies.
Parties are also holding street-corner meetings and road shows to woo voters.
Meanwhile, stage has been set for a three-cornered battle in some segments, where the BJP has emerged as a force to reckon with, especially in Kozhikode North, Kozhikode South, Beypore, Elathur, and Kunnamangalam. National leaders of various parties will also campaign in the district in the coming days. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will take out a road show in Thiruvambady and address a public meeting on Friday. He is also expected to campaign in Koyilandy.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who will campaign in Wayanad district, is also expected to campaign for United Democratic Front (UDF) candidates in Kozhikode on Sunday.
However, her schedule has not been confirmed by the party. Home Minister Amit Shah will also participate in a road show in Kozhikode city on Saturday.
In most segments, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) appears to have stolen a march on its rivals in campaigning. This is mainly because its nominees had gained the advantage of kicking off campaign early when the UDF was yet to decide its candidates.
Campaign has reached fever pitch in the prestigious Kozhikode North segment, where the CPI(M) has fielded Thottathil Raveendran, two-time Mayor, while the Congress has nominated Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) State president K.M. Abhijith, and the BJP, its State general secretary M.T. Ramesh.
In Elathur, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran is way ahead of his opponents.
However, Nationalist Congress Kerala (NCK) State vice president Sulfikar Mayuri, who is in the fray, is catching up with his political rival.
Another key segment is Vadakara where the UDF backed Revolutionary Marxist Party candidate K.K. Rema and Manayath Chandran of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) are locked in a fierce battle.
