Kannur district has invariably favoured the Left Democratic Front (LDF), no matter which of the two major coalitions in the State garnered more seats in the State to form the government. The election to the Assembly in 2016 was no different. The LDF had won eight out of the 11 Assembly seats in the district.
While the LDF is planning to repeat the winning streak in the Assembly elections, specifically after doing well in the recent local body elections, the United Democratic Front (UDF) is hopeful of changing these equations. While Kalliassery, Dharmadam, Payyanur, Taliparamba, Mattanur and Thalassery are traditional strongholds of the LDF, the UDF has a continuous winning history in Peravoor and Irrikur.
A tough battle between the LDF and the UDF is expected this time in Azhikode, Kannur and Koothapuramba.
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With the sitting MLA K.M. Shaji of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) not willing to contest in the Azhikode constituency, the CPI(M) hopes to take back the seat. Young CPI(M) leader and former district panchayat president K.V. Sumesh is the party's probable candidate in the constituency. Allegations against Mr. Shaji and an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him will be a major weapon of the LDF in the campaign.
May make ripples
The UDF is expected to make ripples in the Kannur constituency after its strong comeback in the Kannur Corporation elections. The constituency is a stronghold of the Congress, which it had won since 1987 till 2011. Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran of the Congress (S), an ally of the LDF, captured the seat from the Congress in 2016.
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With Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran deciding not to contest in the coming Assembly election, names of probable candidates to take on Mr. Ramachandran in the constituency are a matter of speculation.
The LDF candidate in the Koothuparamba constituency is likely to be Loktantrik Janata Dal leader and former Minister K.P. Mohanan, who was in the UDF when he contested from the constituency in 2016 as Janata Dal (U) candidate and was defeated by Health Minister K.K. Shylaja.
The constituency before its delimitation had been an invincible bastion of the CPI(M). In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Congress leader K. Muraleedharan secured a margin of 4,133 votes against CPI(M) candidate P. Jayarajan in the Koothuparamba Assembly segment in the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency.