With the election date fast approaching, the plantation areas of Devikulam constituency have awaken from the low-key campaigning.
Plantation labourers of Tamil origin constitute a major segment of the voters in the constituency and the estate lanes are the main centres of campaigning, which is done mainly through the unions of estate workers. The main unions are AITUC, INTUC, CITU and BMS.
The constituency is reserved for candidates from the Scheduled Castes and is witnessing a repetition of the fight in the last election. Sitting MLA S. Rajendran of the CPI (M) is pitted against Congress' A.K. Mani , who had represented the constituency thrice.
Both the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front are now on a final phase of campaigning. The more-than-life-sized figures of the candidates in flex boards that appeared in Munnar town had created a controversy as plastic is banned in the town. Finally, the poll officials got them removed. However, it did not stop the enthusiasm of the election managers and distribution of campaign posters to the voters began at the ward-level. The candidates are visiting every nook and corner of the constituency.
Local trade union leaders supported by squads are doing systematic campaigning, visiting the estate lanes.
Both the candidates exuded confidence of the voters' support.
With the recent delimitation, the contours of the constituency have changed. The Chinnakanal grama panchayat has been added to the constituency. The other grama panchayats in the segment are Munnar, Adimaly, Vattavada, Marayur, Kanthallur, Pallivasal, Mattupetty and Bisonvalley.
Though there is only a nominal presence of Tamil Nadu political parties in the constituency, they can tilt the votes in favour or against a candidate.
AIADMK has fielded a candidate in the segment. Nadayar ward in Munnar grama panchayat is represented by a member of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a party based in Tamil Nadu.
Bharatheeya Janatha Party's S. Rajagopal is also in the fray.
However, the main fight is between the LDF and the UDF. The land issues plaguing the tourism town of Munnar and adjoining areas is one of the main poll issues.
Mr. Rajendran said that the constituency was in a development phase and the main focus of the LDF campaign was the distribution of land to the landless estate workers, ration rice at Rs.2, and development of road and other infrastructure development in the constituency. “It is for the first time the poor estate workers were given a place to lay their head and nearly 5,000 workers benefited from the land distribution,'' he said.
Mr. Mani, however, said that the constituency was witnessing tardy development. He said that land documents would be distributed to all deserving farmers and estate labourers. The constituency would be developed to tap the full tourism potential, Mr. Mani said.
The BJP candidate is banking on the wide range of his personal connection as a teacher in the estate area. He claimed that the independent votes of non-estate areas would also support him.
