Koyilandy is all set for a nail-biting finish in the forthcoming Assembly election as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are putting forth a balanced fight.
Last time, P. Viswan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) won the reins of the constituency from the Congress, which had monopolised it for more than two decades. Koyilandy was a Left stronghold since the first election to the Kerala Assembly till it was shattered by E. Narayanan Nair of the Congress in 1970. The constituency favoured Congress once again by electing P. Sankaran in 2001 before favouring Mr. Viswan in 2006.
The Koyilandy constituency consists of Payyoli, Thikkodi, Moodadi, Chengottukavu and Chemanchery grama panchayats besides the Koyilandy municipality. The Thurayur and Kizhayur grama panchayats, earlier part of the constituency, were attached to the Perambra constituency in the delimitation.
In the last local body elections, the UDF won the Chengottukavu, Payyoli and the Thikkodi grama panchayats while Moodadi and Chemanchery favoured the Left. The Koyilandy Municipality too went the Left way.
The three major candidates in the Koyilandy constituency — K. Dasan of the CPI(M), K.P. Anil Kumar of the Congress and T.P. Jayachandran of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — have never been in the Assembly.
The CPI(M) is banking on the immense goodwill its candidate is said to have earned during his 10-year tenure as the Chairman of the Koyilandy Municipal Council. The ‘native' status may be an advantage for Mr. Dasan who claims to have a clear idea of the problems and needs of the constituency.
Mr. Dasan may have a tough opponent in Mr. Anil Kumar, former State president of the Youth Congress. Mr. Anil Kumar was a lawyer and an active member of the Kerala Students Union. Indian Union Muslim League leader T.T. Ismail believes that Mr. Anil Kumar will gain acceptance among the youth in his constituency.
Neutral voters, who are sick of the stagnancy in development, will choose Mr. Anil Kumar, Mr. Ismail said. “The UDF has a good track record here, all major development activities in the constituency were undertaken while the UDF was in power. Also, the front has a clear upper hand in the constituency except in the Koyilandy municipality,” he said.
“The Congress and the CPI(M) have paid no attention to the basic problems and developmental needs of the constituency like electricity and drinking water and development of cottage industries, harbour, roads and tourism,” Mr. Jayachandran, a teacher by profession, said. There is dissent and disgruntlement in the electorate due to lack of development. This may turn in favour of the BJP,” he said.
Though the BJP has never been a decisive factor in Koyilandy, the party is upbeat as it had won five seats in the local body polls — three in the municipality and two in the Chengottukavu panchayat. The Social Democratic Party of India's (SDPI) candidate, Rashid, and Independents Dasan, Anil Kumar and Muneer Kunhabdulla are also in the fray.
