With the byelection to the Piravom Assembly constituency still a good two weeks away, UDF candidate Anoop Jacob already has run up a “lead” over his rival from the LDF, M.J. Jacob, in relation to the volume of campaign materials removed from public spaces by the four defacement squads searching the nook and corner of the constituency.
In the first two days of this month, the defacement squads pulled down 359 posters of Anoop Jacob and 320 of M.J. Jacob. BJP candidate K.R. Rajagopal was a distant third with only 105 posters disappearing from the public space.
The squads have been making the rounds of Ilanji, Koothattukulam, Thirumaradi, Aarakkunnam, Edakkattuvayal, Kanjiramattom, Thiruvankulam, and Chottanikkara panchayats since the start of the month.
While the UDF candidate had 36 banners seized, the LDF and the BJP candidates had to deal with the loss of only six and four banners respectively.
When it comes to cut-outs, the UDF candidate had run up a three-fold ‘lead' over the LDF candidate with 43 seized against 11. Mr. Rajagopal managed a second spot with the squads seizing 24 cut-outs.
M.J. Jacob seems to have a penchant for flags as his 36 flags were removed from the public space compared to five and 15 of the UDF and the BJP candidates respectively.
Apart from the defacement squads, five other squads for exposing violation of the model code of conduct are also active and they keep handing over information to the defacement squads. Cost incurred in removing the campaign materials from public space will be added to the campaign expenditure of candidates concerned. Daily reports in this regard are being given to the expenditure observer.
Telephone and electricity posts seem to be favourite spots in the public space for displaying campaign materials.
Election Commission had directed to remove posters and vote requests posted on roads and medians as well. Culverts, bridges, and rocks amidst water bodies and rivers also come under the definition of public space.
