Though the Election Commission has not yet announced the dates for the Lok Sabha polls, incumbent MP A.M. Ariff of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] and C.A. Arunkumar of the Communist Party of India (CPI) — the Left Democratic Front candidates in Alappuzha and Mavelikara Lok Sabha constituencies respectively are making the most of early-bird advantage in the initial round of electioneering.
While the Congress, the biggest party in the United Democratic Front, is yet to officially announce the candidates in any of the 16 Lok Sabha seats it is contesting in the State, the National Democratic Alliance has announced Sobha Surendran of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its candidate in Alappuzha. Ms. Surendran is expected to begin the election campaign on Thursday.
In the Congress camp, multiple names, including All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal, who represented Alappuzha twice from 2009 to 2019, and the last election’s runner-up Shanimol Usman, are doing rounds as a possible candidate for the seat.
Left Democratic Front candidate C.A. Arunkumar during his election campaigning in the Mavelikara Lok Sabha consituency. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In Mavelikara, however, it is almost certain that incumbent Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress will be fielded again. Though there were talks of the BJP taking over the Mavelikara seat from the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of the NDA, there seems to be not much substance in it. BDJS sources said that it would announce “a top leader of the Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha as its candidate from Mavelikara in the coming days.”
As Congress delays the announcement of candidates, both Mr. Ariff and Mr. Arunkumar are going full throttle in the campaign trail with roadshows, meeting voters in person, visiting religious places and attending various programmes.
On Wednesday, Mr. Ariff campaigned in the Kayamkulam Assembly constituency. Mr. Arunkumar toured Kuttanad. The LDF Mavelikara Lok Sabha constituency convention will be held near Christian College junction, Chengannur on Thursday at 5 p.m. It will be inaugurated by Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar.
In 2019, Mr. Ariff defeated Ms. Usman by a margin of 10,474 votes in Alappuzha. In Mavelikara, Mr. Kodikunnil defeated Chittayam Gopakumar of the CPI by a margin of 61,138 votes. Out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, Alappuzha was the only seat the LDF won in 2019.
